Shadowhunters: All I Want
by bash4102
Summary: University Shadowhunters AU. What happens when our favourite characters venture into the world of universities. Story of love, hate, drama and humour? Malec, Clace and even a little bit of Sizzy! Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, they belong to Cassandra Clare. Hope you enjoy this story! Beta: gracie-the-shadow-writer
1. Chapter 1

Clary stood in her dorm room, she began to unpack her bags, not that she had a lot to unpack a few small bags, that's all she had brought with her. That's all she had brought, she didn't want to think of her past she needed to start a new. And this was where she was going to do it. She got lost in her thoughts when there was a knock at her door. She jumped as she turned around, she saw a tall man, with the deepest blue eyes she had ever seen.

"Hey, sorry to bother you but I was wondering whether you knew where the student registration is?" The boy asked nervously.

Clary shook herself out of her thoughts "No, I'm sorry but I was about to go look for it soon, we can go together if you want?" Clary had never really trusted people easily, but the man before her looked kind.

"Yeah, sounds fun, let me just grab my keys." The man turned to go before spinning back around "Oh, I'm Alec by the way."

Clary let out a little chuckle "I'm Clary." Alec smiled and wandered out of Clary's dorm before returning a few seconds later. "Ready to go," Alec said with a smile.

"Sure," Clary said before grabbing her bag and locking her door. She and Alec began to wander through the dorms, there was a silence between them but it wasn't awkward, it was nice.

Alec broke the silence "So what are you studying then?" Alec asked.

"I'm studying to be an art teacher, you?" Clary inquired looking up to Alec, "I'm studying Pre-Med." Clary had a certain kind of look on her face that said 'really' but she smiled anyway.

Alec continued, feeling like he needed to explain "Both of my parents are surgeons, so I guess it kind of runs in the family."

"So you're training to be a surgeon then." Clary asked.

"No, actually I want to train to be a general paediatrician, I love working with kids, but I'm not as brave as you to go into teaching." Alec smiled and Clary chuckled. They carried on walking through the campus until they arrived at a building with a huge sign saying "STUDENT REGISTRATION".

"I think we've arrived." Alec said as he as he nodded towards the sign. Clary smiled as she got into the queue.

Alec and Clary waited to get registered with the school administrator while they were waiting they began talking about their families "So have got any brothers or sisters?" Clary asked casually, not wanting to seem too stalkerish.

"Yeah, I have a sister and two brothers, Izzy, Jace and Max." Alec said looking down the queue to see how far away they were from the reception.

"Oh right so; you have a big family then." Clary said examining the queue as well.

"No not really, it's only six of us what about you, do you have a big family?" Alec asked returning his gaze back to the girl beside him.

Clary looked down at her feet "No, just my mum and dad, but I don't really speak to either of them anymore."

"Oh right, that's …" Alec seemed lost for words. Clary looked up at him and flashed a faint smile towards him "Don't worry its' better that way, what about your siblings what are they doing?" Clary asked, obviously changing the subject but Alec didn't really blame her.

"Well, me, Jace and Izzy are all in our first year of university, but Max is a lot younger than us he's in his first year of high school." Alec said.

Clary looked puzzled "Wait so are you like triplets or something?"

Alec started to laugh "No, I'm a year older than Izzy and Jace, but I took a gap year to travel around the world." Alec explained.

"Right so Izzy and Jace are twins then?" Clary asked with as still confused look on her face.

Alec smiled softly, "No, Jace is actually adopted, we were close friends when we were young, but when he was 10 his parents died in a car accident, and so it was logical for us to look after him he had no other family."

"Oh, you're family are good people," Clary smiled, "Better than mine anyway," Clary muttered under her breath quiet enough that she thought Alec to hear, but he did however he didn't want to pry.

Alec and Clary waited in silence for the rest of the queue, not wanting to meddle in each other's lives any more. Alec and Clary finished registering and picked up their welcome packs and schedules. Alec asked Clary quietly "Have you got everything you need?" Clary nodded silently before loading all her papers back into her back before turning to leave.

Alec and Clary began to walk back towards the dorms when Alec stopped in his tracks. Clary looked up at the man beside her; he looked stunned she looked around for an explanation before asking "Hey, hey Alec are you ok?" Alec stood there not replying to Clary's question.

Clary was confused but as she looked up, she thought she may have understood. Walking towards them was the most beautifully tanned man, with the most amazing green, amber eyes. Clary looked up at Alec who had started to look nervous "Hey Alec, do we need to go, is everything ok?"

Alec didn't have time to answer because by the time Clary had asked the question the man was stood in front of the pair. Alec looked astounded and Clary just looked plain confused "Well, hello Alexander." The man said casually.

"Magnus?" Alec managed to breathe out.


	2. Chapter 2

ONE YEAR AGO

Alec stood in front of his family, Izzy, Jace and Max all had sad looks on their face "Hey guys, don't worry I'll be back soon it's only a couple of months. I promise to keep in touch." Alec said with a smile on his face.

"I know, big brother." Izzy said through tears as she got up on her tiptoes to kiss Alec on the cheek. Alec flashed a small grin as he looked down at his sister before pulling Jace and Max into a hug.

"I'll miss you guys, you know." Alec said. Just before he was about to go his parents came out of the front door to greet them. Alec knew that they hated his plan of taking a gap year but he wasn't changing his plans, not now that he was ready to go. Alec smiled at his father when he outstretched his hand towards Alec.

"Good luck son, oh and keep in touch." Alec's father said with a faint smile on his face. Alec returned the smile before turning to face his mother who just embraced Alec in a hug.

"Look after yourself Alec." Alec's mother whispered into his ear. She pulled back from him and Alec grabbed his bags and loaded them into the taxi that was waiting for him. Alec turned back towards his family before climbing into the taxi. As the taxi began to drive away Alec waved from the window as he saw tears trickle down his mothers and his sisters' face.

The taxi pulled up to the airport, and Alec grabbed his bags from the boot of the taxi before paying the driver and entering the airport. A huge smile flashed across Alec's face as a tall, tanned man paced towards him before gabbing Alec by the shirt and pulling him into a long searing kiss.

The man pulled back and grinned "Are you ready to go Alexander?"

"Yes Magnus, I'm ready!" Alec grinned and with that Alec and Magnus headed towards check-in hand in hand.

ONE YEAR LATER

"Magnus."

"Yes, it's me." The man known as Magnus said. Clary once again had a confused look on her face as she glanced at Alec then at Magnus then at Alec again.

"What the hell are you doing here Magnus?" Alec said an angered look beginning to grow across his face.

"What most people do at universities, I'm here to learn." Magnus said a small grin catching at the edge of his mouth.

Clary began to look around, "Right, I feel like I'm interrupting something here," Clary said before turning to face Alec "So I'm just going to go back to the dorms, I'll see you there." Clary turned to go but Alec caught her arm before she could leave.

"No Clary, I'm coming with you." Alec said turning to leave with Clary. They began to walk towards the dorms when they heard Magnus shout "Alec, I'm sorry."

Clary looked up at Alec who was obviously angry now, he turned around to face Magnus "No, Magnus you don't get to say sorry!" Alec didn't even wait to hear Magnus' response he just stormed off towards the dorms.

Clary watched as Alec walked away, she turned to face Magnus, "Hey, I don't know what went on between you but it seems to have really pissed Alec off, so maybe you should just leave Alec alone for a while." Clary said with a sympathetic look on her face.

Clary turned and followed Alec, Magnus watched the little redhead that followed Alec and he couldn't help but feel guilty, maybe it was his fault. No, it was his fault. He had to get Alec back; he needed Alec, his Alec, his Alexander.

Clary had to practically run to catch Alec up "Hey, hey, Alec are you ok?" Clary asked panting for the running she had to do to catch Alec up.

Alec turned to face Clary and she saw the tears that were gathering in the corners of Alec's eyes. Clary didn't know what to do, she had only known him for what an hour maybe two, and she had already discovered so much about him. She didn't feel like he would want to talk so she just stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist. She didn't normally do this, she was never open or confident with people she had just met but she knew Alec needed it. Alec was shocked at first but soon he wrapped his arms around Clary's shoulders and rested his chin on her head. "Thanks." He whispered into Clary's ear, as she pulled back from the hug she smiled up at Alec. "It's ok; you looked like you needed it." Clary said.

Alec chuckled, a few tears still in his eyes "Bit of a crazy first meeting, huh." Clary just returned a chuckle before heading back towards the dorms. They walked in silence, neither wanting to mention the previous meeting, but Clary couldn't help but wonder. Alec saw the curious look on her face but he didn't really want to talk but he thought he owed the girl beside him and explanation "Look Clary, Magnus is my ex-boyfriend, I know I said that Magnus didn't get to say sorry, but I was shocked, I wasn't expecting to see him, not here anyway, but he had his reasons for what he did to me. So don't judge him, ok?"

Clary looked up at him lost for words "What did he do to you?" Clary asked a certain restraint in her voice.

Alec couldn't look at her he knew that if he did he would break down crying so he just kept looking forward as he whispered "He broke my heart, he broke me."


	3. Chapter 3

ONE YEAR AGO

Magnus and Alec sat in their seats ready for the plane to take off, Alec had never flown first class before, but Magnus insisted it was part of the experience.

"So are you going to tell me where we're going now, I've dodged all of the intercom announcements, but now I want to know." Alec said putting a puppy dog look on his face to make Magnus cave in.

Magnus chuckled "Ok, ok well first we're going to London, I know you've always wanted to go to England, and personally I don't see the appeal." Magnus smiled. Alec returned the smile, he had always loved the idea of England and it didn't help when Magnus came along with his perfect smile and his charming English accent.

"Just because you grew up there doesn't mean it's not appealing, in fact in makes it even more appealing." Alec said as he leaned across and placed a kiss against Magnus' perfectly soft lips. Alec pulled back a confused look on his face "Wait did you say 'first we're going'?" Alec asked.

Magnus laughed at the look on Alec's face "Yes I did say 'first we're going' and if you were wondering secondly we're going to Paris, the city of love." And with that the smile on Alec's face grew even bigger.

ONE YEAR LATER

Alec and Clary sat on Clary's bed eating a pizza that they had picked up on their way back to the dorms. They had moved on from the previous events and were sat laughing talking about what they had planned for the next few weeks. Both had decided that they would go to Fresher's week. I mean who could pass up the change of a costume party and various pub crawls. Alec was explaining to Clary that she had to make sure that he didn't have more than three shots of tequila when there was a knock at the door. Clary got up from the bed and opened the door ever so slightly. "I don't think you should be here." Clary whispered to the person before her.

"Is he in there?" Clary looked over her shoulder to see Alec looking through some of the books on her bookshelf.

"No." Clary whispered.

"I know he's in there please, I have to see him." The man stated

"I don't know what happened between you too as I've said before, but honestly I've never seen someone look so fragile so… so… so broken before. And I think that it was because of you Magnus." Clary whispered trying not to catch Alec's attention with the mention of his name.

Magnus looked down at his feet, with a small sniff as he said "I know." Magnus had a longing in his eyes; Clary could see that Magnus was just as fragile as Alec was before, maybe they did need to talk. Clary sighed as she opened the door fully so that Magnus could see the tall frame of Alec who had his back facing towards the door.

"I'm sorry Alec," Clary said quietly not trying to scare him, "But he said that he really needed to speak to you." Alec turned to see Magnus standing beside Clary he glanced towards Magnus but then fixed his gaze towards Clary, he looked almost angry but the anger slowly subsided and turned to sorrow.

"What do you want Magnus?" Alec said but he began to raise his voice "Are you here to say sorry, are you here to try and win me back, or are you here to rip my heart out and crush it again?" You could tell Alec was trying desperately to hold back the tears that were forming in his eyes.

"Alexan-" Magnus began but was cut off by Alec.

"It's Alec." Alec said almost angrily and Magnus nodded in acceptance.

"Alexa—Alec, you know I would never do that to you!"

"Well Magnus, actually you have done that." Alec screamed not bothering about the tears that were slowly rolling down his cheeks.

"Magnus I think you should go." Clary stated as she opened the door once again allowing Magnus to leave through it. Clary was about to close the door when Magnus turned back around to face Clary.

He leant down so that his lips were near her ear and whispered "Look after him please." Magnus stood up straight as Clary nodded. And with that Magnus left.

Clary turned to face Alec who had sat back down on the bed and was wiping tears away from his face "I'm sorry that I got you involved in all of this, it's my mess not yours." Alec said looking up to Clary who was walking over to him.

"Hey, don't worry about it, I don't mind, I was kind of worried about making new friends, but it seems like I've already got one." Clary said as she flashed a quick smile which resulted in Alec smiling as well. "Wait I have an idea," Clary continued, "I heard there is a party tonight at one of the sorority houses. I believe you were telling me all the crazy things that happen when you get drunk. Why don't go get absolutely wasted and just try and forget some of the eventful things that have happened today. Huh?" Clary finished.

To this Alec half smiled as he grabbed his coat and his keys from on Clary's desk and began to walk towards the door "You coming or what?" Alec asked to which Clary smiled and grabbed her bag. She was going to make this night better; she was going to make Alec feel better. She had to.

Clary sat up in her bed, she winced as she reached up to touch her head, it was banging. She began to look around her, and she couldn't remember how she got home. She rested her head back against the pillow, she wasn't ready to get up just yet, she was just about to close her eyes and go back to sleep when something moved beside her. Clary shot bolt upright and turned to face the figure that had materialised beside her; she saw the mop of jet black hair and hoped she was right.

"Alec?" Clary whispered praying it was him. The figure jumped up, hitting Clary in the face with the back of his head. Clary cried out in pain. The man turned to face Clary and she smiled.

"Thank God," Clary said with thankfulness in her voice.

"You're thanking God that I hit you in the face with my head." Alec croaked obviously feeling the same way Clary was.

Clary chuckled as she checked her nose wasn't bleeding "No, I'm thanking God that it was you in my bed not some stranger."

"Well, I kind of am a stranger, to be fair!" Alec laughed still croaking a tiny bit, to which Clary punched him, not so lightly in the arm.

"I think we're passed strangers after yesterday." Clary said raising her eyebrow and looking towards Alec.

Alec smiled faintly, "Which part?" Alec said reaching to rub his head; obviously he was feeling just as hungover as Clary, who just flashed a small smile at his simple question, she knew what he was thinking about, well, more like who he was thinking about.

Clary grabbed her phone from her bedside table and looked at the time, '11:26'. "Hey, Alec would you like to go for breakfast, I'm hungover, hungry and in desperate need of coffee." Clary said as the smiled sweetly trying to persuade Alec. Alec thought back to the times he used to do this to Magnus, the times were he would flutter his eyelids and pout his lips in an attempt to get Magnus to do what he wanted. And it always worked.

He looked over to Clary "Sure let me just shower and then I'll be right with you."

"Yeah I need to shower too, I'm pretty sure someone tipped a glass of wine in my hair last night." Clary laughed.

"Perks of being small, hey?" Alec said as he stood up, receiving a glare from Clary to which Alec just laughed, and headed off to his dorm. This was strange for him, Alec had never been one to make friends easily but with Clary he had just sort of clicked. It was nice; it was nice to know that he had at least one friend here. He was going to need it if he was going to have to face Magnus for the next few years.

Clary walked to her bathroom, where she turned the shower to the hottest setting, before removing the clothing she had been wearing the previous night. She looked down at the pile of dirty clothes and saw a big red stain on the back of her dress. Ah, so that was what got poured over her head that night. Clary stepped into the shower and let the water pour over her. It ran though her hair, down over her shoulders and collected at her feet. She remember that she was supposed to meet Alec soon, so she quickly began to shampoo and condition her hair, she rinsed the remaining bubbles out of her hair before turning of the water and climbing out of the shower and wrapping a towel around her body. She returned into her bedroom and pulled on a pair of black skinny jeans, a green knitted jumper and her brown boots. She rubbed her hair dry with the towel before throwing it up into a messy bun. Clary had never really been one to care what she looked like or what people thought of her, and so why should she care now. She grabbed her bag from where it had been situated the night before. She checked to see if she had her phone, her keys and her purse before heading over to Alec's dorm. It only took a few seconds for Clary to get to Alec's dorm, but when she got there she could see Alec locking up his door ready to go.

"So," Clary said as she approached Alec, "I know this really great coffee place a few blocks from here, if you'd like to go there?" Clary asked, to which Alec just smiled and nodded, still looking a bit worse for wear after their crazy night. They began to walk in the direction of the coffee house in order to try and cure their headaches with a bit of coffee.

"You'd think, me being a year older and all, I'd be able to hold my drink better." Alec chuckled.

"Don't worry you weren't that bad, but we did get kicked out after you through up on that frat boys girlfriend." Clary tried to hold back a laugh but she couldn't.

"Hey, hey ok it wasn't my entire fault, you were the one who broke their table in an attempt to dance on it." Alec retorted with a laugh.

"Ok, ok we were both as bad as each other!" Clary said finally, not bringing up any of the other events of the night, in an attempt to keep her dignity. "Right ok, the coffee shop is just up here, I think." Clary said, trying to look around for any resemblance to a café of any kind.

"Are you sure you know where this place is?" Alec asked with a grin on his face. Clary just looked at him and raised an eyebrow, before nodding in the direction of a side-street. Alec turned to look down the street where shop sat with a big sign saying 'Blackthorn Coffee & Tea Shop'.

"I met the shop owner's daughter on my first day here; it's a really nice place and it serves really, really good coffee." Clary said with a smile as she turned to walk in the direction of the café, to which Alec just followed along. Clary opened the door to the café, with Alec close behind her, when a girl, around the same age as Clary or Alec, ran at Clary and wrapped her arms around Clary's neck.

"Oh my god, Clary, hey! You didn't say you were coming." The girl said pulling back from the hug.

"No I didn't sorry, oh this is my friend Alec by the way, and we just came for breakfast." Clary said as she gestured to Alec who was stood closely behind her.

"Nice to meet you Alec," The girl said extending a hand to Alec, to whom Alec shook her hand, "I'm Helen, by the way."

"Nice to meet you too, Helen." Alec said, to which Helen just smiled and gestured from them to follow her, they followed Helen through the café; she stopped at a small table in the corner.

"Is this table ok?" Helen asked turning to face Alec and Clary, both just nodded and smiled as they took the menus that Helen had offered to them.

"It's great thanks. Oh and Helen please could we some coffee as well." Clary said as she sat down and began looking at the menu. "Well I know what I want." Clary said as she put down her menu, "Do you?" She asked looking over at Alec.

"Black coffee, definitely," Alec said as he poured himself and Clary a cup, "and maybe the full English, but I'm not sure everything looks so good." Alec said with a questioning look on his face.

"The full English is good, that's I what I'm having anyway." Alec looked at Clary and nodded smiling before putting his menu down on top of Clary's. Helen returned to their table and took their order then leaving and heading towards the kitchen.

"So, Alec, how are you feeling?" Clary said as she took a sip of her coffee.

"I'm ok, I think, I feel a bit bad for shouting at him," Alec said looking down into his cup before taking a sip of it.

"I wasn't asking about Magnus, I was asking about your hangover." Clary said with a weak smile on her face. Alec looked embarrassed as a faint blush began to spread across his cheeks. "Hey, but I don't mind, you can tell me about it if you want." Clary continued. Alec just looked up at Clary and flashed a small smile.

An awkward silence began to grow between the pair but was broken when Helen returned with their food, "Here you go, enjoy." Helen stated before returning to the kitchen.

"This looks good," Alec said as he picked up his knife and fork, obviously trying to break the silence that had grown between the pair.

Clary smiled and nodded, as she said, "I told you I knew a good breakfast place." Alec smiled as he began eating his bacon and eggs, Clary followed after him, eating her breakfast. Alec was fine just sitting there and eating in the quiet but as he looked up he could see the quizzical looks that were passing across her face and he knew exactly what she was thinking about, he knew exactly what she wanted to know. She wanted to know the truth, the truth about what happened between him and Magnus. He knew that he would have to tell her at some point so why not now; he knew that he would have to tell her everything.

"Clary," Alec began, "I know you want to know what happened between me and Magnus, and I am going to tell you, I think its best starting at the beginning." Alec said as he finished his food and placing his knife and fork on top of his plate. "Well, it all started one year ago…"


	4. Chapter 4

ONE YEAR AGO

"Magnus, you know when I said I wanted to go to England, this wasn't what I had in mind." Alec said jokingly as he sat on Magnus' couch looking out of the window only to see that frankly he couldn't see anything anyway, the window was covered in rain droplets and the air was full of fog.

"My love, we have all year to go sightseeing, honestly I don't think the weather is up to it and anyway right now I just want to be with you," Magnus said as he lent down and placed a soft kiss to Alec's lips. Well at least it was meant to be a soft kiss, but Alec had made it into a rough and demanding, Alec had now grabbed the collar of Magnus' shirt and had pulled him down onto the couch with him. Magnus' hands were exploring the expanse of Alec's perfectly toned chest as the kiss deepened. "God, I've missed you." Magnus whispered in Alec's ear as he played with the hem of Magnus's shirt.

"I've missed you too," Alec managed to say between kisses, he couldn't take it anymore his hands travelled to the base of Magnus' back, where his shirt was rising slightly to reveal the bare expanse of skin. Alec pulled Magnus' shirt over his head, and flipped Magnus over so that he was straddling Magnus' hips. Alec had a cheeky grin on his face and he bent down to kiss the base of Magnus' neck, Magnus began to moan, it felt so good.

"Alec, darling, I don't want to stop but do you think we can carry this on in the bedroom." Magnus panted, out of breath from their energetic activities. Alec nodded and picked Magnus up from the couch. Magnus wrapped his legs around Alec's waist as Alec made his way to the bedroom. When he they got to the bedroom Alec pushed Magnus down on the bed, both began to groan as their hips synced into rhythm with each other.

"God I love you Magnus," Alec whispered as he began to unbuckle Magnus' pants before he realised what he had just said. He pulled back, to look down at Magnus' face, to see that he was smiling.

Alec sat up on the bed looking confused, why was Magnus smiling like this, "Did you just say you love me?" Magnus asked the smile on his face growing; Alec looked down into his lap almost like he had done something wrong, as he whispered, "Yes, I do love you Magnus, but if…"

Alec was cut off by the feeling of Magnus' lips pressed against his, Magnus pulled back as he said, "I love you to, Alexander."

ONE YEAR LATER

"Well, it all started one year ago…" Alec began, he looked over at Clary who had put her knife and fork down and now had her hands wrapped around her cup of coffee. "We met when I was 16, Magnus was 18, nobody knew I was gay at this point, not even Isabelle or Jace, so me and Magnus kept it on the down low, meeting at his place when I said I was working my summer job, no one ever really questioned it."

Clary had a puzzled look on her face "I thought Magnus was the same age as you, isn't he?" Clary asked Alec.

"No, when I met him he was just about to start his first year at university; he was spending his summer in New York, that's when I met him. We carried on dating for the next two years, it was harder, Magnus was in London and I was in New York. He came to visit as often as he could. Then last year, Magnus told me he was taking a sandwich year and he was going to spend it with me." Alec answered a sad look growing on his face, "I knew he meant well, but I would have been going off to university that year, so I decided to take a gap year. My parents weren't particularly happy but I told them that I wasn't changing my mind, they got used to it eventually. I think that Izzy and Jace were actually quite happy that I'd be starting university at the same time as them."

"So you're close to your siblings then?" Clary asked wanting Alec to think of good times not whatever bad times he had with Magnus.

Alec smiled as he said "Yeah, I mean we all grew up together so were pretty close."

Clary had a small smile on her face as she looked down at her hands, "That must have been nice," Clary whispered so quietly so that only Alec heard.

"It was, but I'm sure being an only child was fun too." Alec said trying to reassure Clary.

"I wasn't an only child." Clary said before taking a sip of her coffee.

"What do you mean; I thought you said it was just you and your parents?" Alec asked with a quizzical look on his face.

"It is, but…" Clary began before taking a deep breath and finishing her sentence, "but, I had a brother once. He died when I was younger." Clary stated bluntly, obviously trying to hide the sadness in her voice.

"Clary I'm so sor…" Alec began but was cut short by Clary.

"Don't say sorry Alec, it wasn't your fault." Clary said looking up to face Alec.

"I never know what to say in these kinds of situations." Alec said as he rubbed his forehead, thinking of how to change the subject.

"His name was Jonathon, Jon for short." Clary began, a single tear rolling down her cheek, Alec didn't know what to do but he remembered how just yesterday Clary had comforted him when he was on the verge of breaking down. Alec reached his hand out and took Clary's hand in his own. Clary lifted her face up so that her grass green eyes met Alec's deep sea blue eyes, and all she managed to say was "Thank you, Alec."

"It's ok, anytime." Alec said with a faint smile on his face, "Have you finished you're breakfast." Alec said a clear attempt to clear Clary's mind. She nodded and she grabbed her bag from off the floor and placed a $10 bill on the table, Alec doing the same. "That should do it." Alec said as he got up from his chair and pushed it under the table, Clary following suit.

Both Alec and Clary headed for the door, but Clary stopped just before reaching the door and turning to face the kitchen were Helen was stood, "Thanks for the food Helen," Clary said across the café to which Helen just waved and smiled.

Alec and Clary walked back to their dorms in almost silence, barely saying any words to each other. As they reached their dorms Clary turned to face Alec and said "Thank you, for before."

"As I said anytime." Alec replied with a smile before turning around, putting his key in the lock and going into his dorm. Clary walked, the what, 10 steps to her dorm, when she got there she opened her door, entered her dorm, closing the door then flung herself down onto her bed. It was then then that she let out all the tears she had been holding in at lunch with Alec, it was then that she cried over her lost brother, it was then that she remembered all the pain. It was then that she cried.


	5. Chapter 5

**Dear Readers,**

 **Just a little authors note here. I'm quite new to this and am just trying to get to grips with the story, and would just like to explain a few things that may not be quite clear yet. Now like the original Mortal Instruments story it is set in America, but unfortunately I am English and so my knowledge of America and its school system is very limited but I'm trying my best.**

 **So in this section of the story it is mentioned about the living situation of Clary and Alec, it states that they are living in dorms, now I don't know what dorms are like in each varying American university but in this story, the dorms are like an apartment shared by 2+ students with shared kitchen and living room. As the story progresses I would like to introduce some of Clary and Alec's other roommates, but for now they will remain a mystery!**

 **Please keep me updated on what you're thinking about this story by leaving a review. Hope you enjoy this chapter. I would just like to thank RainbowFangirl101 for her review which sparked the idea for this chapter.**

 **Bash4102.**

2 WEEKS LATER

Clary sat in a lecture doodling in her sketchbook, she had never been very good at listening for long amounts of time, and this lecture was just plain boring. It was one of her mandatory teaching lectures but it was beginning to drag on. She took her phone out of the pocket of her black jeans and sent a quick text to Alec who was also in one of his lectures across on the other side of the university.

 _Clary to Alec: 10:58_

 _'_ _hey Alec, pre-med lectures any better than teaching lectures!'_

Clary slid her phone back into her pocket, sat up straight and tried to listen to the lecturer talk about how a teacher much nurture children into wanting to learn, Clary knew that she had to learn all of this stuff but it was slowly beginning to numb her brain. It was at that point that her phone buzzed in her pocket she pulled it back out.

 _Alec to Clary: 11:01_

 _'_ _god no, it is the most boring lecture I've ever been in_ _L_ _'_

Clary chuckled before replying to his text.

 _Clary to Alec: 11:02_

 _'_ _poor you, only 43 minutes to go'_

Clary placed her phone on the table, sitting back as she looked up at the clock; she began to count down, only 42 minutes to go. Alec hadn't replied yet so Clary had an idea she turned her phone over and began to text him.

 _Clary to Alec: 11:07_

 _'_ _have you got anything on after your lecture we could go to Blackthorn's for lunch if you want?'_

It had become a regular occurrence that Alec and Clary would go for lunch or dinner after their classes.

 _Alec to Clary: 11:09_

 _'_ _would love to but I've got to pick my brother up from the airport."_

Clary looked confused hoping no one around her had noticed, Alec hadn't mentioned his brother coming to town, so Clary picked up her phone and began to reply to Alec.

 _Clary to Alec: 11:11_

 _'_ _oh that's fine, what's he coming to town for?"_

Clary once again slid her phone back into her pocket and awaited his reply. Clary was trying hard to concentrate on the lecturer but it wasn't working, she looked up at the clock, 30 minutes to go. That's when her phone buzzed in her pocket making her jump slightly.

 _Alec to Clary: 11:16_

 _'_ _he's coming for my birthday.'_

Clary looked down at her phone, a gasped so loudly that a few people around her turned to face her giving her annoyed glances as that did, but she didn't really care. She picked up her phone once again and began to reply to Alec.

 _Clary to Alec: 11:17_

 _'_ _YOU DIDN'T TELL ME IT WAS YOUR BIRTHDAY!'_ Clary texted, faking her anger at Alec for not telling her.

Clary placed her phone back on her table and began to doodle, she got lost in her drawing, almost too lost to recognise when her own name was being called.

"Miss Clarissa Fray," the professor began, she noticed the girl wasn't paying attention so she coughed in an attempt to get her attention, "Excuse me, Miss Fray." The professor repeated, only this time Clary looked up from her drawing. The professor saw that she had the Clary's attention, "Have you been listening to anything that I have been saying Miss Fray?" She asked looking up at Clary. Clary nodded and made a vague mh-hm sound. "Okay then Miss Fray can you tell me how to make a child want to learn?"

Clary rubbed her head and looked down at her note, _'shit'_ she thought, she hadn't been making any notes, she had just been drawing ordinary people with the most beautiful wings. The professor arched her eyebrow and turned to face the class once again but before she could continue her lecture Clary said "You make them want to learn by getting them interested in the subject."

The professor once again turned to face Clary and smiled, "Correct, well done Miss Fray." And with that the teacher turned back to face the class to continue the lecture, Clary breathed a sigh of relief, only 4 years of these lectures, and hey how bad can it be.

Once again her phone buzzed on the table, she picked up to look at the reply.

 _Alec to Clary: 11:21_

 _'_ _I don't really celebrate it, but Jace insisted."_

Clary looked down at the text and semi-smiled, from what she heard from Alec it seemed like Jace was a bit of a party animal, and so the fact that Jace had insisted on visiting made perfect sense. However the thought that Alec didn't celebrate his birthday was situated in her mind, as Clary's mind raced through the reasons that Alec didn't celebrate his birthday, her phone buzzed again.

 _Alec to Clary: 11:23_

 _'_ _Why don't you come to the airport with me, make sure Jace doesn't make me do anything completely stupid?'_

Clary smiled down at her phone as she began to reply.

 _Clary to Alec: 11:25_

 _'_ _sure, sounds like a plan!'_

Clary sent her text and almost immediately received a reply from Alec.

 _Alec to Clary: 11:26_

 _'_ _great, I'll meet you outside the student centre.'_

Clary smiled and slid her phone back into her pocket as she tried to concentrate for the remaining 19 minutes. When the bell rang signalling the end of the lecture Clary grabbed her bag and made her way down the steps of the auditorium; she often preferred to sit at the back, out of the professor's line of view, but obviously after that lesson that hadn't worked. Clary looked forward to meeting Alec's brother, it would be interesting. She was just about to take her phone out of her pocket and text Alec to say that she was coming but someone stopped her on the stairs.

"Hey Clarissa, isn't it." The boy said as Clary turned to face him, he had the darkest jet black hair she had ever seen; it was even darker than Alec's.

"Erm, well yes but I prefer Clary." Clary said looking up at the boy who was quite a lot taller than her, "And you?" She asked.

"I'm Sebastian; I just wanted to say you were pretty great up there answering that question when it was obvious you weren't listening." The boy said with a chuckle.

Clary raised an eyebrow, "How do you know I wasn't listening?" Clary asked.

"I was sitting behind you; I could see you drawing angels in your notepad. They're really good by the way." The boy known as Sebastian said with a smile on his face.

"Thanks," Clary said as she looked down at her hand where she was holding her notepad.

"It's ok," Sebastian said with a hopeful look on his face, "I was just wondering whether…"

He was cut off by the sound of the door opening and a man who shouted, "Oi, Fray you coming or what?" He said with a smile on his face.

Clary turned and faced the man by the door, "Yeah Alec, I'm coming one second," Clary turned back to face Sebastian, "You were saying something." Clary continued.

"Erm, not really no," Sebastian said looking down at his shoes.

"Well ok then, I'll see you in the next class," Clary said with a smile before turning and making her way down the steps towards Alec. When Clary reached the door she put her arm around Alec's waist and Sebastian could faintly hear as Clary said "You ready to go? Can't wait to see how wild your brother actually is!"

"Yeah let's go." The man Clary had referred to as Alec said as he and Clary made their way out of the auditorium leaving Sebastian by himself. Sebastian wanted Clary, no he needed Clary and Alec, whoever Alec was anyway, was in his way, he had to get rid of him, one way or another, it was the only way.

"So who was he then?" Alec asked looking to Clary as they got into Alec's car and headed towards the Crystal Airport.

"His names Sebastian, he's just some guy from my teaching classes." Clary said, sounding almost unconvinced.

"He's cute." Alec said with a grin on his face.

Clary just raised an eyebrow, as she said with a chuckle, "You can have him if you want."

"Nah, he's not really my type." Alec said looking forward with a smile.

"What do you mean not your type?" Clary said as she giggled.

"Straight." Alec said looking down at Clary who had just started laughing.

"I'm sorry but you saw him for what 2 seconds how could you possibly know he was straight." Clary said as she stopped laughing and looked up at Alec.

"I know from the way he was looking at you." Alec said, he wasn't joking this time he was being sincere, Clary looked down at her feet, she felt a blush rising to her cheeks, "Ah, I knew he wasn't just some guy," Alec practically shouted, which just got him a glare from Clary which just caused him to laugh. It's strange, I mean they were the most unlikely of friends; they argued about almost everything, like who had left the dishes in the shared kitchen or how Clary always left her shoes in the living room but somehow they made it work.

As they were driving Clary heard Alec's phone ringing in his pocket, "Hey Clary, can you get that for me please," Alec asked trying to keep his eyes on the road.

Clary reached across from the passenger seat and took Alec's phone from his pocket, "It's Jace." Clary stated as she looked down at the caller ID on the phone

"Answer it then, I'm driving!" Alec said looking across at Clary, to which she tapped the green button and pressed it to her ear.

Clary started to speak into the phone, "Hi Jace, Alec is just driving at the moment, but we're turning into the car park now.

Alec listened as he heard Jace say, "Oh, and who are you?"

"Clary… Clary Fray, I'm Alec's roommate." Clary said almost hesitantly.

"Well okay then Clary Fray, could you please tell Alec that I'm just waiting for my bags," by this point Alec had parked and was ready to go into the airport, he smiled at Clary and took the phone.

"Jace we're coming in now," Alec said before whispering, "oh and please don't try and sleep with Clary," well at least Alec thought he was whispering, he turned to look at Clary who had a semi-confused and semi-annoyed look on her face.

Alec and Clary made their way into the airport and found the terminal where Jace was supposed to be coming out from, "Hey Clary," Alec said with a sweet look on his face and she knew then he wanted something, "You know how your room is bigger and you have that spare bed I was wondering if Jace…"

He was cut short by Clary, "Yes, but only because it's your birthday."

Alec smiled as he said "Well actually its tomorrow."

Clary was about to ask why he didn't celebrate, when she heard Alec's name being shouted from across the airport. _'Jace'_ she thought, _'well this is going to be fun'_ , but as she saw the smile on Alec's face grow maybe Jace wasn't all that bad anyway. Clary saw how Alec pulled Jace in for the biggest hug she had ever seen, and she smiled this is how a family should be. Clary lost herself in her thoughts thinking about her own family and about how they could barely manage a handshake, but was pulled back when she heard her name.

"So you're Clary Fray," Jace said with smirk on his face.

Clary could help but think he was good looking, like very good looking, with his blond hair and golden eyes, "Yeah, that's me." Clary said.

Jace flashed a smile as he said, "Well it's a pleasure to meet you,"


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys,**

 **Sorry I've been so long posting the next chapter, but i had a bit of a disaster and my computer broke and I lost this whole chapter and had to re-write it.**

 **Hope you enjoy please leave a review!**

 **Bash4102**

1 YEAR AGO (September 2015)

"Happy birthday, my angel," Magnus smiled as he rolled over to face Alec, this was what he loved, waking up next to the man he loved, even if it was only for the few months that they were spending together.

Alec smiled as he woke up to face Magnus, "You remembered?" Alec mumbled, still half asleep. Magnus just chuckled light before moving closer to his boyfriend a planted what had supposed to be a gentle kiss onto Alec's lips, but had actually turned into a heated make-out session that had shown Alec that Magnus had in fact remembered his birthday.

"As much fun as this is, I thought we might actually do something today!" Magnus said to which Alec just pulled him closer still half asleep, placing his lips on Magnus's chest, "You know like do all the stuff you said you wanted to do like sightseeing," Magnus panted out as Alec placed more tender kisses at the base of Magnus's neck.

Alec and Magnus had been in England for almost a month and as of yet they had barely been out of the apartment apart from going out for food in restaurants. However they had been out one time to a club when the weather hadn't been that bad. Alec had let Magnus paint his nails, black of course, and even let Magnus apply some black eyeliner with flecks of blue glitter, Alec could see why Magnus wore it now, there was a certain appeal. Not that it was going to be a regular occurrence, but for one night he might just endure it. Although, the sight of Alec in makeup had just been too much for Magnus to cope with. It wasn't long before he had Alec back in their apartment, pinned up against the wall, ready for a night of joyous activities. Oh, if only their apartment was soundproof, then they wouldn't have had any complaints from the neighbour next door, a fact which had turned Alec's cheeks the darkest shade of pink Magnus had ever seen.

"Come on Alec, what do you really want to do today, apart from just lying here?" Magnus asked, turning to face Alec.

Alec smiled coyly, "We don't have to just LIE here," Alec said, emphasising the word 'lie', with a cheeky smile on his face.

Magnus faked some annoyance before saying, "Well fine but if you're going to be indecisive, I'm going to get a shower." Magnus finished, turning to get out of bed, to which Alec grabbed his arm in an attempt to pull him closer it didn't work of course. Magnus laughed as he headed towards their en-suite bathroom. Alec rested his head back down on the pillow, when he heard Magnus calling, "You could always join me?"

Alec's head shot up off the pillow, he was never one to pass up a shower with Magnus and so he climbed out of their bed and made his way to the bathroom. Alec mentally looked back over the time they had been together and in that moment he realised that this was how he wanted to spend every single one of his birthdays, waking up next to the man he loved.

1 YEAR LATER (September 2016)

Clary sat with her back pressed against the back seat of Alec's car listening to Jace and Alec talk about their lives and how they had been since they last saw each other. Clary watched as the two brothers talked, it was nice to see Alec smile, especially after everything that had gone on with Magnus in Fresher's Week. Clary lost her train of thought and soon began to think of the life she would have had if Jon hadn't died. Clary began to think about how Jon would have come to visit her at college and how they would have shared their crazy stories of the first few weeks. But she knew that it would never happen, no, it _could never_ happen, and it made her stomach ache. She knew she had to change the subject somehow otherwise she was going to break down in front of Alec and Jace, and that would just be a disaster.

"So Jace, what are you studying?" Clary asked, trying to internally change the subject.

Jace stopped whatever he was saying and turned to face Clary, "I'm studying Policing and Criminal Investigation." Jace watched as Clary nodded, so he continued, "An you, what are you studying?" Jace finished.

"Oh me, I'm studying to become an art teacher," Clary said with a small smile.

It was at this point that Alec punched Jace's arm lightly, "She is amazing, you should see some of the stuff she can draw and paint."

Jace glanced back to Clary to see a small pink blush rise to Clary's cheek, he had to admit she looked quite cute like that, in fact she was beautiful. Clary noticed Jace looking at her so she continued her inquisition, "So why did you choose policing?" Clary asked, genuinely intrigued.

Jace stopped for a second to think before replying, "Both of my parents are surgeons, Alec's training to be a paediatric doctor, Izzy's training to be a forensic pathologist and then there's me. I'm not very academic, I mean I did okay in exams I was just never really enjoyed the academic side of things. So I chose a respectable profession that doesn't require me to be a brainbox." Jace finished with a sad smile on his face.

Clary could sense the sadness on his face but is was soon lost when Alec reached across and placed a hand on his shoulder, chuckling, "Always one to feel sorry for yourself aren't you Jace?" Alec said in a playful tone which just caused Jace to smile and push Alec's hand away. Clary couldn't help but think that this is what a family should be like, this is what siblings should be like, it made her kind of sad and happy at the same time, she just couldn't place what she was feeling.

Soon the conversation was flowing again, Jace had switched the radio on and they were all lost in conversation when Clary had a sudden thought, "Alec, what are we actually doing for your birthday?" Clary asked leaning forward from her seat.

"I don't know, but I don't mind we don't have to anything big." Alec said keeping his eyes on the road.

"What do we mean we don't have to do anything big, you're 20 Alec we have to do something big!?" Jace exclaimed, chiming into the conversation.

"I agree with Jace on this one." Clary said before glancing at Jace and then returning her gaze back to Alec, "Oh, there's a bar in the centre of town that is really good and never really checks your ID, we could go there. It's got a really weird name, err," Clary stumbled as she tried to remember the name of the bar. "Oh right it's called Pandemonium, I think," Clary stated turning to face Jace as she knew Alec would have just rolled his eyes.

Clary pulled out her phone and did a quick google search of 'Pandemonium' to see if there was anything happening tonight, "Oh, guys there's a karaoke on tonight, that could be fun!" Clary said passing her phone to Jace so he could see.

"We should totally go," Jace said passing Clary her phone and turning to face Alec, "I mean have you ever heard Alec sing."

Clary had a confused look on her face, "No is he any good?" Clary asked.

"He's amazing, even better than me." Jace said with a wink that made Clary blush slightly.

"Oh well we have to go now," Clary said turning her attention to Alec, who was obviously trying to avoid her puppy-dog gaze.

Jace smiled with a cheeky grin, "Come on, Alec it sounds fun. You could do with a night out!" It was at this point that Alec smiled a similar grin to Jace before nodding which resulted in Clary and Jace both celebrating and high-fiving at the fact they had gotten Alec to agree. It was then that Alec turned into the car park of the block of dorms and began to park.

"Well as much as I would like to continue spending my day with you," Clary started as she opened the door of Alec's car, "I have a few essays and art pieces that need finishing, so I'll see you later about 7:00pm." Clary finished before stepping out of the car but before she left she poked her head back inside of the car. "You two enjoy your siblings…" Clary made various attempts to finish what she was saying but couldn't find the words, "Just enjoy whatever you're going to do," Clary finished as she shut the door and headed up to her dorm.

Both Jace and Alec watched as she opened the door of the apartment block. "I can see why you like her now." Jace said, smiling at Alec, who just nodded and returned the smile. "Right so what are we going to do?" Jace asked still looking at Alec.

"Pizza?" Alec asked looking over at Jace who nodded excitedly, Alec put the car in reverse and pulled out of the parking space and made his way to the best pizzeria in town.

It was 5:35pm and Clary had only just finished all the work she had to do for her classes, she was exhausted and didn't feel like going out, but it was Alec's birthday and so she was going no matter what. She packed away her paints and pencils and headed for the shower, her hands were covered in paint and she needed to wash her hair. She turned the knob on the shower so it was on the highest and hottest level, put the music on her phone to shuffle, stripped of her clothes and got into the shower to feel the hot water flow all the way from her red hair down to her feet. She quickly washed her hair and scrubbed the paint from her hands and arms. She reluctantly stepped out of the shower and turned it off, before grabbing a towel to wrap around her body. She made her way into the main part of her room and opened her wardrobe trying to decide what to wear tonight, she had never been that good at girly things and had always wished to have one of those girlfriends that would lend you clothes help you with your hair and makeup, but she never had. So she just continued to inspect her wardrobe in the hope that between her hoodies and ripped jeans there may be something appropriate for a club like Pandemonium.

It was at this point that Alec and Jace had returned from their trip to the pizzeria, Alec was just in the kitchen putting away some of the pizza that he had brought home for Clary when he heard Jace shouting to him from the hall, "Which room is yours Alec?"

Alec quickly replied with the answer, "First one on the right, it should be open" before opening up the pizza box placing a few slices on a plate to put in the microwave; it was then that he heard the most piercing scream. Alec ran out of the kitchen into the hall to see Jace standing, or more like cowering Clary's doorway as she hit him with a slipper. "What the hell's going on?" Alec asked bemused by the scene in front of him.

"Your brother scared the life out of me," Clary panted as she pulled the towel around her tighter. She had stopped hitting him at this point.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to walk in but Alec said it was his room," Jace said as Clary's once angry expression lightened.

"No, I said first one on the right, that's the left," Alec said in a sarcastic tone.

"Oh shit yeah," Jace said feeling quite stupid at the fact, "I am sorry." Jace said turning to face Clary who now had a smile on her face.

"I'm sorry I hit you with a slipper," Clary said smiling before adding a quiet, "dumbass" on the end, to which both Alec and Jace smiled. "Right well, I'm going to get ready now, you two should clean up as well you've both got tomato sauce on your tops." Clary said, turning and closing the door to her bedroom not even waiting for a reply which just left the two boys laughing but speechless at the same time.

30 minutes later

The boys were sat in the shared living room, all ready for the night ahead of them. Alec was wearing a pair of black jeans with a dark green button down shirt but and Jace had opted for a similar pair of black jeans, a short sleeved patterned shirt with his signature black leather jacket. To be perfectly honest they both looked amazing. That was the moment that Clary walked in; Jace couldn't help but let his mouth fall open. Clary stood in front of the boys in a skin tight black leather dress that extenuated the curves of Clary's body. She accompanied her dress with a pair of heeled boots that gave her an extra inch or four, which was an added bonus to say the least. She had even straightened her hair which was a once in a blue moon occasion, and had applied some light makeup to her face, she had used a light green pigment on her eyelids which made her eyes shine an even brighter green.

Clary noticed the boys shocked expressions, she didn't really know whether that was a good sign or a bad sign, "Do I look okay, is something wrong?" Clary asked as she began to observe herself, patting her hands over her body.

"No there is absolutely nothing wrong, you look beautiful." Jace said in a smooth manor before realising how stupid he must of sounded, but when he saw the way Clary's cheeks flush pink, he couldn't care less if he sounded stupid. Alec who had been sitting quietly through this whole scene began to smile, however much Jace may have seemed like a player, Alec knew the real Jace and he hoped that Clary could see that, because in all fairness in Alec's opinion they would make a cute couple.

"Right are we ready to go?" Alec asked breaking the intent looks that were being passed between Jace and Clary.

Jace and Clary nodded, as Clary began to speak, "I mean it's only 6:30, we could walk into town instead of getting a taxi." Clary suggested.

"Sounds good but are you sure you will be able to walk in those heels." Jace said taking the opportunity to take in Clary's beauty.

"I'll be fine." Clary stated. 10 minutes later she was not fine, but she was not going to tell Jace that and so she stuck it out until the trio arrived at the club. Although there were bouncers on the door they managed to get in without anyone checking their ID's which was a relief because Clary's fake ID sucked.

"Right guys I'll go get a table and you can get some drinks," Clary said has she handed Alec some money from her purse, Alec had a look on his face that said he wasn't going to take it but Clary continued, "It's your birthday you don't have to buy the drinks." Clary said before leaving in search of a table, she found one relatively close to the stage.

She sat down and waited for the boys to come back with some drinks, when she felt a tap on her shoulder, "Hey Clary."

Clary looked up to Sebastian from her teaching classes she smiled, "Hey Sebastian, what are you doing here?"

"I just fancied a night out really." Sebastian said with a smile to which Clary just nodded, "What about you, what are you doing here?" Sebastian asked.

"Oh it's Alec's birthday and his brother is in town so we're celebrating." Clary smiled but noticed that Sebastian had more of a scowl on his face, "Is something wrong?" Clary asked, it was at this moment that the boys returned to their table with their drinks.

"No I'm fine, I best be going." Sebastian said before getting up from the table and leaving without even acknowledging the boys.

"Who was he?" Jace asked his eyes following the boy that had just been talking to Clary, a certain sense of jealousy panging in his chest.

"Just some boy I know from uni, but he was being really weird." Clary said with a puzzled looked on his face.

"Why?" Alec chimed in after taking a sip of his pint.

"I don't know to be honest, I said that I was out with you," Clary said nodding her head towards Alec, "And then he just had this sort of scowl on his face, like this." Clary said trying to recreate the look that she had seen from Sebastian, it didn't really work and resulted in laughs from both of the boys, "So what's the plan for tonight then?" Clary asked as she took a sip of her vodka coke.

"I signed us up for karaoke." Jace said with a pleased grin on his face.

"Who me?" Clary asked looking over at Jace with confusion written all over her face.

Jace smiled, "Yeah, and I signed Alec up as well," said Jace clearly pleased with himself.

"Nah, I'm not singing." Alec said in disbelief, before taking a huge gulp of his pint, "I'm not nearly drunk enough!" He finished.

"If I am singing a duet with YOUR brother, you have to sing too." Clary said looking at Alec who just made a vague 'mh-hm' sound and nodded as if to say _'fair enough'._ "What are we even singing?" Clary asked, turning her gaze to Jace.

"I don't know, we'll have to decide when we get up there." Jace said with a cheeky grin and a wink, which just made Clary and Alec roll their eyes at Jace's obvious attempt to be flirtatious. The trio slowly fell out of conversation as the karaoke began; they all had to admit that it was funny to watch some people who were absolutely rat-arsed trying to sing Whitney Houston.

Alec hadn't admitted it out loud but he was kind of glad that Jace and Clary had forced him out. It wasn't long before the host was calling out Jace and Clary's name to come up and sing. Clary picked up her glass and necked what was left of her drink, Jace doing the same, before making their way up to the stage. Alec watched from the crowd as Jace and Clary argued over which song to choose when Jace just tapped the screen to which Clary rolled her eyes before grabbing a mic and making her way to the centre stage with Jace following closely behind.

Alec smiled as the music began to play, he loved this song, he watched as Clary began to sing, she wasn't have bad, in fact she was quite good.

 _Clary:_ _When I had you to myself, I didn't want you around  
Those pretty faces always make you stand out in a crowd  
But someone picked you from the bunch, one glance is all it took  
Now it's much too late for me to take a second look_

Alec smiled even more when Jace began to sing as much as he claimed to be a good singer he just wasn't, I mean he was bad just not quite in tune.

 _Jace: Oh baby, give me one more chance  
Clary: (To show you that I love you)  
Jace: Won't you please let me back in your heart Oh darlin', I was blind to let you go  
Clary: (Let you go, baby)  
Jace: But now since I've seen you it is on  
Clary: (I want you back)  
Jace: Oh I do now  
Clary: (I want you back)  
Jace: Ooh ooh baby  
Clary: (I want you back)  
Jace: Yeah yeah yeah yeah  
Clary: (I want you back)  
Jace: Na na na na_

 _Clary: Trying to live without your love is one long sleepless night  
Let me show you, girl, that I know wrong from right  
Every street you walk on, I leave tear stains on the ground  
Following the girl I didn't even want around_

 _Jace: Let me tell ya now  
Oh baby, all I need is one more chance  
Clary: (To show you that I love you)  
Jace: Won't you please let me back in your heart  
Oh darlin', I was blind to let you go  
Clary: (Let you go, baby)  
Jace: But now since I've seen you it is on_

 _Jace and Clary: All I want  
All I need  
All I want!  
All I need!_

 _Clary: Oh baby, I need one more chance, hah  
I'd show you that I love you  
Baby, oh! Baby, oh! Baby, oh!  
I want you back!  
I want you back!_

Alec watched as they finished their song, everyone around him began to applaud, Clary made her way back to their table whilst Jace went to the bar to get some more drinks. "That was amazing!" Alec stated as Clary sat down, "I didn't know you could sing," Alec said looking at Clary.

Clary shrugged before saying, "Hey well it's your turn to show your talents," Clary said nodding to the stage where the host was reading the list for the next name.

Clary smiled as Jace sat down and the host called out Alec's name. "Go on," Jace said with a slight chuckle as he passed Alec a shot, which he gladly drank before making his way up to the stage.

Alec was stood on the stage obviously trying to decide what song to sing, when some random drunk girl shouted out from the crowd, "Sing a love song, sexy!" Alec tapped the karaoke machine, grabbed a mic and made his way into the centre of the stage, the music began and so he began to sing.

 _All I want is nothing more  
To hear you knocking at my door  
'Cause if I could see your face once more  
I could die as a happy man I'm sure_

 _When you said your last goodbye  
I died a little bit inside  
I lay in tears in bed all night  
Alone without you by my side_

 _But If you loved me  
Why did you leave me_

Clary listened to Alec singing, he was amazing, Clary had never heard a voice so graceful and elegant. A single tear ran down her cheek as she realised what he was singing about, who he was singing about. Jace must have noticed the tear stains on her face because he reached out and took `her hand, a silent but kind gesture,

 _Take my body  
Take my body  
All I want is  
All I need is  
To find somebody  
I'll find somebody_

 _Ooh oh  
Ooh oh  
Ooh oh_

 _'Cause you brought out the best of me  
A part of me I'd never seen  
You took my soul wiped it clean  
Our love was made for movie screens_

 _But If you loved me  
Why did you leave me  
Take my body  
Take my body  
All I want is  
All I need is  
To find somebody  
I'll find somebody like you_

 _Ooh oh  
Ooh oh  
Ooh oh_

Alec had had his eyes closed for most of the song but when he opened his eyes, he saw a face in the back of the room, he thought it was just his mind playing a trick on him, but it wasn't it was really him. It was…

Magnus.


	7. Chapter 7

Jace and Clary watched in confusion as Alec made his way down from the stage, through the crowd and back to their table just to grab his coat and make his way out of the club through the back entrance. Clary turned to see if she could see what Alec was doing when she noticed a figure making his way after Alec, "Shouldn't we go after him, or something." Jace said pulling Clary's attention away from the figure, she knew exactly who it was and she wasn't going to interfere this time.

"No, I know what this is about." Clary said turning to face Jace, who just raised his eyebrows as if to say _'please continue'._ "I think it was because he saw Magnus at the back of the club." Clary finished.

"What on earth is Magnus doing here," Jace said as anger and frustration began to cover his face, "He shouldn't be here, he should be back in England." Jace said as he stood up to follow Alec and Magnus out of the club.

Clary grabbed Jace by his in the bend of his elbow, "At least let Alec hear him out." Clary said with a soft smile on her face, which caused Jace to sit down although he still had an angry expression painted over his face.

It was by this point that Magnus had caught up to Alec outside of the club, "Alec wait!" Magnus said panting for breath.

"What are you even doing here?" Alec said as he turned to face Magnus.

Magnus smiled as he replied, "It's a Pandemonium club, remember Ragnor owns them, he said that I should look after this one while I'm here."

"Oh yeah, I forgot." Alec said with an embarrassed look on his face.

"It's ok." Magnus said, Alec turned to walk off when Magnus said, "Alec."

"What Mags?" Alec said turning to face Magnus, not realising what he had said.

A small smile curved at the corners of Magnus's mouth, and Alec immediately realised what he had done, his cheeks flushed a bright pink colour as he turned to leave once again.

"Don't go, please." Magnus said he hadn't meant to sound so desperate but that is how it came out.

"I distinctly remember saying the same thing to you a few months again." Alec said anger beginning to build up inside him as he turned to face Magnus again, Magnus could see the tears forming in the corners of his eyes.

"I shouldn't have left." Magnus said simply trying to hold back his tears.

"No you shouldn't have," Alec said quietly, "I still don't know why you did anyway." Alec finished.

Magnus looked up from his feet to look at Alec, "It's a… It's complicated." Magnus said stumbling for the right words.

"I want to know." Alec said not making direct eye contact with Magnus or he knew he would do something he would later regret.

"Well could we at least go somewhere a little more comfortable," Magnus said before adding, "Somewhere with alcohol preferably." Magnus whispered thinking that Alec couldn't hear, but Alec did and he couldn't help the smile that rose on his face, not that it lasted long. Magnus led Alec through the crowded streets until they reached a semi-secluded apartment block. "I hope this is ok," Magnus said turning to face Alec before unlocking the door, Alec just nodded and waited for Magnus to open the door. When he did Alec and Magnus made their way to the penthouse suite, Magnus had never been one to live life plainly, or cheaply come to think of that.

Alec was the one to break the awkward silence that had grown between them, "Are you going to tell me now?" He said.

Magnus looked up with a pained expression, "Do you want a drink?" He said dodging Alec's question.

Alec thought about for a minute, "Have you got any beer?" Alec replied, to which Magnus made his way into the kitchen. Alec could hear him pottering around but he soon emerged with a beer in one hand and a cocktail in the other.

Alec took the beer and stood awkwardly not really knowing what to do, Magnus could see how troubled Alec looked and so he began to speak, "I didn't leave because I didn't love you anymore." Magnus said softly.

Alec's face had a mixture of anger and sadness as he replied, "Then why did you leave me?" Alec meant to sound mad but he worried that he just sounded pathetic.

"I left because… I left…" Magnus stumbled once again trying to find the right words.

Alec saw the distress in his voice, "Why Magnus, why?" Alec said simply, not trying to cause Magnus any more upset.

"Well, it started when I got a phone call…"

FOUR MONTHS AGO

Magnus laid in bed with his head rested against Alec's shoulder, Alec snoring softly as he slept. They had become accustomed to this over the past few months, and Magnus had decided that he could happily live the rest of his life like this. He hadn't been able to sleep; he was mentally trying to plan their day out in his head, first they'd go to the Eifel Tower, then to the Louvre. He pulled from his thoughts by a vibrating on his bed side table.

 _01:38am_

 _NO CALLER ID_

Magnus picked up the phone from the bed side table, slowly climbed out of bed and made his way out of the bedroom before answering the call, "Hello who is this?" Magnus asked quietly as though not to wake Alec up.

"I'm surprised you answered." The person at the other end of the line said in a cold but sultry voice.

"What do you want Camille?" Magnus asked as anger rose in his voice.

"I wanted to speak to you Maggie," She said, as Magnus cringed at her pet name for him, "I heard about your boy toy." Camille stated.

"Leave Alec out of this." Magnus stated flatly.

"Ah, it's cute, too bad it won't last," Camille said obviously trying to start something.

"What do you mean 'it won't last'?" Magnus asked echoing Camille's words.

"Do you really think someone like him, would settle for someone like you." Camille's words felt like a knife through Magnus's heart. "Do you really think he could love you?" Camille continued to attack Magnus, "You're broken, only I can love you the way you need." Camille words pierced through Magnus's mind. "You'll always love me Magnus." Camille finished her outbreak.

But Magnus had no words to say, what if she was right, he was broken. Magnus didn't bother replying to Camille, he just put the phone down and made his way to the couch, he couldn't go back to the bed, their bed, not now, not now that he realised that it wouldn't last, not now he realised Camille was right.

FOUR MONTHS LATER (September 2016)

"So you left me because some ex told you that I didn't love you." Alec said almost in disbelief.

"No… Well I mean … Yes ok I did." Magnus said as he began to mess with the rings on his fingers in an attempt to distract him from the looks of hurt that were written across Alec's face.

"Only I can decide," Alec began as his voice began to break, "Magnus only I can decide if I love you." Alec finished as a single tear rolled down his cheek.

"I know that…" Magnus began but was cut short by Alec.

"Well you obviously didn't, because I did love you Magnus." Alec said with a sad look on his face, "And I still do," Alec added quietly in a hope that Magnus wouldn't hear.

"Oh, Alexander," Magnus began reaching out to take Alec's hand but Alec stepped back so that Magnus couldn't reach him.

"I get it you and Camille have history, but she has a hold of your strings and if you want any hope of moving on properly, you have to get her to let go of your strings." Alec said looking Magnus directly in the eyes.

"Alexander…" Magnus said again, this time when Magnus reached out Alec didn't move away. Alec's breath hitched as Magnus's hand touched his cheek.

"No Magnus, I can't." Alec said pulling back and turning so Magnus couldn't see his tears, "I've got to go." Alec said heading towards the door. This time Magnus didn't follow Alec, he knew it would just make things worse.

Alec made his way out of the apartment block, and started to make his way back to his flat, there was no way he could back to the club like this. He didn't really know where he was, but he could make vague guesses. He was walking alone down a dark street with tears running down his face, when someone jumped out in front of him. Alec couldn't make out who it was; they had their face hidden under a hoodie.

"Stay away from…" That was all Alec could remember before complete darkness.

Clary and Jace were still in the club, but had moved to the back to get away from the crowds. Clary and Jace had been waiting for Alec for quite a while now; Jace was just about to suggest calling him when Clary's phone began to ring in her hand.

"Who is it?" Jace asked as Clary answered the phone and held her hand up to shush Jace. Jace watched as Clary nodded and made some vague 'mh-hm' noises, she ended the call and turned to face Jace with a horrified look on her face.

"Alec's been attacked."

* * *

 **Hey guys,**

 **Just wanted to say a big thank you for reading hope you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a review, it would mean a lot.**

 **Thanks again.**

 **Bash4102**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys, sorry this chapter took so long to post. I've been on holiday for the past week and when I got back I found half of my roof to be missing thanks to Storm Doris (stupid name for a storm but that's England for you) . So I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please leave a review below to let me know what you think!**

"What do you mean _Alec's been attacked_?" Jace said, his voice filled with worry.

"Alec was attacked on his way home, he's in the hospital now," Clary said with an equal amount of worry, "Come on, we need to find a taxi." Clary said taking Jace's arm and dragging him out of the club away from the crowds of people and the really quite incredibly loud music. The streets were full of cars and so it wasn't long before an available taxi drove past, Clary held her arm out and the taxi pulled up on the side of the road. Jace was still in a state of disorder and so Clary had to help him into the taxi.

"Minnesota state hospital, please." Clary said to the driver before turning to check on Jace, "Hey, hey are you ok?" Clary asked Jace who had turned a very pale colour.

"Just worried." That was all that Jace managed to say. Clary rested her hand on Jace's shoulder in reassurance, the short 10 minute journey to the hospital seemed like an eternity for both Clary and Jace. When they arrived at the hospital Clary paid the driver quickly before climbing out of the cab and pulling Jace out with her.

They made their way into the reception and up to the desk, "We're here for Alec Lightwood." Clary said as Jace didn't seem able to say much at all.

"This way." A nurse at reception said as she gestured for the duo to follow, Clary took Jace's arm and together they followed after the nurse. The nurse took them into a room where Alec was lying on a bed, unconscious with needles stuck in various veins in his arm. Jace's knees went weak with the sight.

"He's been beaten up pretty nastily." The nurse said walking over to Alec's bed to check his vital signs, "He is slipping in and out of consciousness. There's not much we can do from him until he wakes up." She said as she left the room with Alec's file.

Clary nodded but had no words to say at this fact. It was horrible she had seen things like this before it just brought back every single bad memory she had. Clary slowly walked over to the bed, "Who could have done this?" She whispered not expecting an answer.

"Could it have been Magnus?" Jace replied walking to the other side of Alec's bed.

Clary shook her head she knew there was no way that this couldn't have been Magnus, "He wouldn't have done this, he loves Alec." Clary said as she took Alec's hand. "I have no idea who did this, who could want to do this." Clary said as she looked Alec up and down, he had bruises over his face and arms and that was just what Clary could see of Alec. "Jace he looks so…" Clary didn't even know what to say, so she just walked round to the other side of the bed where Jace was standing, she rested her head on his shoulder and let her tears silently flow.

It was not so long ago that Clary was standing in the New York Medical Institute watching her mother in a similar yet more permanent situation. It was paining her so much to remember watching her mother, and now to watch Alec in this state.

Jace looked down at the girl beside him, who was showing such raw emotion, "What are we going to do Clary?" It was such a simple question that needed such a complicated answer.

Clary shook her head, "I don't know." Clary said as she turned to look for a chair or somewhere to sit, that's when she saw a couple of foldaway chairs in the corner of the room. She lifted her head from Jace's shoulder, wiped away the tears from her cheek and grabbed two of the chairs and brought them up next to Alec's bed, "Here you go, this should make it a little more comfortable." She said to Jace as she unfolded the chairs.

Both took a seat next to Alec as the nurse returned with some forms, she looked between Jade and Clary not able to decide who to give them to, "I have some forms that need filling in." The nurse said as both Jace and Clary looked away from Alec to look at the nurse. Jace stood up from his place next to Alec to take the forms. The nurse nodded and handed over the forms before leaving the room. Jace sat down and began to fill in the forms, when Alec began to stir in his bed. He put the forms down as Alec began to wake up, both Clary and Jace leaned closer to Alec's bed as he began to open his eyes.

"What…happened?" Alec crocked, his voice shaking.

"You…got attacked." Clary managed to say.

"Who by?" Alec asked, his voice still rasping.

"We were hoping you would be able to tell us." Clary said as she saw the distress on Alec's face, "But don't worry about that now, just get better." Clary said, it was more of a demand than a suggestion, to this Alec just nodded and rested his head back on the pillow. It was at this point that the nurse came back in, she started to once again check his vital signs, once she had done that she began to do more medical things that neither Clary or Jace knew much about, she started to talk to Alec but noticed how he couldn't really respond.

"He's slipping back out of consciousness; he has a pretty bad concussion so he may not recover properly for a few days." The nurse said turning face Clary and Jace before taking a needle and injecting into Alec's arm.

"What, what is that?" Jace asked clearly concerned for his brother's welfare.

"Morphine, for the pain." The nurse said before wiping a little bit of blood from Alec's arm as a result of the needle. The nurse smiled softly in reassurance to the duo, "He will be ok." She said before turning and leaving the room.

"I need to call Izzy and my parents." Jace said before standing and leaving the room, taking his phone out of pocket and dialling a number that Clary couldn't work out.

Clary just couldn't believe she was in this situation again, watching someone else she cared about in pain as a result of someone else's anger and hatred.

3 DAYS LATER

Clary was so tired she had spent the whole night at the hospital while Jace slept; now it was her turn to sleep. Both Jace and Clary had decided that they were not going to leave Alec alone in the hospital in case he woke up. Clary had spent the morning talking to the university and explaining her and Alec's situation, they were very understanding but did say that they would both have to catch up on any lectures or classes they missed. Now she was back in their shared apartment, she had taken a shower and was getting into some pyjamas so she could sleep until it was her turn to watch over Alec. She had just got into bed when she heard the doorbell ring. She sighed she knew she was the only one is the apartment everyone else was out in classes or lectures. Clary climbed out of bed and pulled a hoodie over her head and made her way to the door.

She was too tired to deal with anyone at the moment, but still she opened the door to greet the person behind it, "Magnus," Clary breathed out not expecting to see him, "What are you doing here?" She asked opening the door a bit wider so she could see Magnus better.

"I need to speak to Alec, is he here, I know there are no medical lectures on Mondays." Magnus said as he stepped forward in an attempt to look inside of the apartment.

"He isn't here Magnus." Clary said definitively not wanting to look Magnus in the eyes.

"Well where is he then?" Magnus asked growing impatient.

Clary breathed out before replying, she knew that Magnus wouldn't take the news well, "He's in the hospital." Clary said looking down at her feet.

"What, doing stuff for his classes?" Magnus asked, obviously not clicking on to what Clary meant, but when Clary lifted her head so that her eyes met Magnus's he saw the sadness they held and he immediately knew what she meant. "What…when?" Magnus stuttered as pain filled his eyes, "What happened to him?" Magnus asked.

"He was attacked on Friday night," Clary said with a soft voice.

"But he was…" Magnus began before stopping to ask another question, "Is he ok?"

"He's been slipping in and out of consciousness for the past few days." Clary said, "But he's getting better, well that's what the nurses have said anyway." Clary said in an obvious attempt to make Magnus feel better.

"Can I," Magnus began unsure whether to continue, "Can I see him?" Magnus finished.

Clary opened her mouth to speak but she didn't really know what to say, "If it was me, I would. But Jace is there now, and the look he gave you the other night, I'd be surprised if he let you past the door without a punch." Clary said looking down at her feet as though to avoid eye contact.

"He has every right to be angry with me but I just want to make sure he's ok." Magnus said with a tear in his eye.

Clary stood there contemplating something in her mind, "Come back at 6 o'clock. I'll be going to the hospital and Jace will be on his way back," Clary said still not completely sure in what she was saying, "You can come with me, and you can see him then." Magnus looked down at his feet and nodded, Clary could see the sadness in his posture and continued to speak, "I don't know everything that happened between you two, in fact I barely know anything, but even I can see that you still love him."

Magnus lifted his head up and Clary could see tears in the corner of his eyes, Magnus stepped forward and pulled Clary into a hug, at first she was shocked but she quickly wrapped her arms back around the man before her. She didn't know what it was like to love someone like that, but she could see the love between these two people, even if they couldn't accept it.

She knew in that moment that she had to do whatever she could to make Alec happy again, and if that meant sneaking Magnus into the hospital, then that's what she was going to do.

* * *

 **Hey guys just wanted to make a slight change to this chapter, just something someone pointed out and it made sense, so I decided to tweak it slightly.**

 **Hope you enjoyed please leave a review!**


	9. Chapter 9

6 HOURS LATER

Clary had managed to get a few hours of sleep before she heard a knock at the door. She knew who it was; everyone else had a key, Jace had taken Alec's so he could get into the flat without Clary. She strolled out of the room and made her way to the door where she knew Magnus would be waiting, she pulled the door open and gave a slight smile to Magnus, "You can wait in there while I get changed." She said gesturing to the living room. Magnus nodded and headed towards one of the couches.

Clary made her way back to her room, pulled on a pair of blue skinny jeans, one of her hoodies and her favourite combat boots; she then pulled her hair back into a pony tail, before looking herself up and down in the mirror. She looked ill, but at this moment in time she didn't really care. She had barely been gone five minutes when she exited her room to find Magnus stood in the middle of Alec's room looking, no staring at Alec's notice board. She knew what was on it and in that moment her heart ached.

Magnus knew he should have just stayed in the living room like Clary had said but he couldn't help himself, he had to go and look. A minute later he found himself in Alec's room staring up at his notice board, it was covered in photos. Mainly there were photos of him and his family, pictures of Alec and Izzy when they were young, photos of Alec and Jace playing football together in the garden. There were a few photos of Alec and Clary at parties. Magnus noticed how red her hair was in that moment, especially in contrast to Alec's raven coloured hair. That's when he noticed a photo sticking out from under one of his most recent photos, a photo of him and Clary in the student centre, it was a cute photo, but it was the photo underneath that caught his attention. He moved the photo of Clary and Alec out of the way, and his breath hitched and his heartbeat sped up.

Magnus mouth fell open as he looked at a photo he hadn't seen in months, it was a photo of him and Alec stood under the Eifel Tower. Magnus remembered that day as if it had happened only yesterday. They had spent the day sightseeing, Magnus had been dressed in a stereotypical French outfit, a striped shirt and a pair of tight black skinny jeans with a crazy red beret. Magnus remembered how Alec had refused to wear it and had stuck to his baggy jeans and his worn-out jumper. It had been such an amazing day but now it was tainted with bad memories.

Magnus had been so lost in thought that he hadn't noticed when Clary came out of her room and into Alec's, she rested her hand on his shoulder, "You ok?" Clary whispered.

Magnus was fighting to hold his tears back, "Yeah, I'm fine." Magnus croaked before darting out of Alec's room. "Are we going then?" Magnus called.

Clary sighed and made her way into the hall, "Do you have a car?" Clary asked looking up to Magnus.

Magnus nodded, "Why are you asking?" He asked with a look of confusion on his face.

"I don't have a car and it's quicker to drive than to get the bus." Clary stated flatly before motioning for Magnus to leave the apartment so she could leave and lock the door behind them.

Clary and Magnus made their way down the stairs in silence, not really wanting to talk about the photo that was hanging in Alec's room. Magnus felt the awkwardness of their silence and so he decided to break it, "So I'm guessing it's not just you and Alec in that apartment then." Magnus said as they walked.

"No, there are 6 of us, but the others texted before saying they were going food shopping seeing as though we have like no food at all." Clary said with a light chuckle that faded quickly.

"Oh right, what are their names?" Magnus asked in a clear attempt to make conversation.

"Well, there's Aline Penhallow, she is really lovely but likes to keep herself to herself, then there's Jordan Kyle, he's a bit strange but he grows on you, then there's Maia Roberts, I think there's something going on between her and Jordan but I'm not sure. And then finally Raphael Santiago, he looks scary when you meet him but he's a total sweetheart." Clary said with a small smile, by this time they had reached Magnus's car.

Magnus reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys. The lights flashed on and he gestured for Clary to get in, she reached and pulled the passenger door open as Magnus made his way round to the driver's side. As Clary climbed into the car she noticed how luxurious it was. That's when she noticed Magnus's keys _Mercedes-Benz._ She decided not to mention the fact that Magnus was driving round a $34,000 car, as she feared it would just make it even more awkward.

Magnus smiled at Clary as he put the car into gear and made his way to the hospital. It wasn't long before they arrived, but Clary noticed how agitated Magnus had become as they had gotten closer to the hospital, as they got closer to Alec. Magnus had pulled the car into a parking space and began to breath heavily Clary noticed and she felt his pain, "Magnus, it's going to be ok." Clary stated as she placed her hand on top of Magnus's hand which was resting on the gear stick. He nodded at her with an appreciative smile and turned to open the door of his car.

"Come on then, let's go." Magnus said with a slight shakiness to his voice. Clary got out of the car and began to walk side by side with Magnus.

"When we get in there if you just wait somewhere while I tell Jace I'm here," She paused before she continued, "Then you can see him," It pained her to think about Alec especially because of the situation he was in, but she had to be strong in this moment because she see how close Magnus was to breaking.

They made their way into the main reception, the nurse at the reception smiled and nodded at her in recognition and Clary thought about how sad it was.

Clary didn't want to think about it anymore so she motioned to Magnus to sit, "I'll be back soon, but careful, Jace is still bitter so try not to be noticed by him, ok?" Clary said before making her way over to the nurse who had noticed her earlier, the nurse gave her a sad smile and began to walk her to Alec's room.

When Clary arrived she noticed Jace who was almost asleep in the chair next to Alec's bed, "Hey." She whispered placing a hand on Jace's shoulder.

He jumped slightly at her touch but smiled when he realised who it was, "Hey, you ok?" He asked quietly as though they were trying not to wake Alec up.

Clary just smiled and nodded, "You?" She added before pulling up another chair. Jace just turned to face Clary, she could see the pain in his face along with tiredness, "Jace go home, get some sleep, I'm here now ok." Clary said in a soft voice.

Jace smiled and stood up, grabbing his jacket, when the nurse came back in she noticed that Jace was leaving and so she turned her attention to Clary, "Excuse me Miss, the gentleman that you brought with you can come in now, if your friend is leaving."

Clary dropped her head into her hands in exasperation and frustration as she saw the look on Jace's face, a look of confusion that turned into anger, "Clary, what is she taking about?" Jace asked trying to remain calm. The nurse perceived the tension between the pair and so made her way out of the room.

"Jace, please he has a right to visi…" Clary began but was cut off by Jace.

" _He_ has no right," Jace said anger rising in his voice, "For all we know this," Jace said indicating towards Alec, "Could be his entire fault," Jace finished turning away from both Clary and Alec.

"Jace please," Clary pleaded, "I know this wasn't him, just let him in, just give him five minutes," Clary finished as she stood and walked over to Jace, placing her hand on his arm.

"Three," Jace stated bluntly.

Clary was confused, "What?" She asked.

"He has three minutes." Jace said before Clary gave a half-smile and made her way out of the room, a few moments later she returned with Magnus walking behind her with his head hanging low. Clary entered the room and motioned for Jace to leave. Jace made a face that seemed to say _I'm not leaving._ But Clary just returned with a face that said _yes you are now out!_ Jace didn't look impressed; but he began to may his way out the door. However someone caught his arm, he looked up to see Magnus with a sad expression on his face, "Thank you." Was all he said before letting Jace go, he nodded and made his way out of the room to where Clary was waiting.

"Do you really think this is a wise idea?" Jace asked turning to face clary who was looking through the glass at Magnus who had sat down in the chair that Jace had been sitting on previously.

"I do." Clary stated bluntly, "Can't you see it," Clary continued, "Jace he loves Alec, he wouldn't hurt him, Clary said.

"He already has, you weren't there Clary," Jace exclaimed, "You were there that summer where Alec barely left his room, he barely ate anything. Magnus really cut him up." Jace declared as his voice began to crack, "I can't let that happen again."

"I understand that you don't want Alec to get hurt again, I do believe me I do," Clary said as she place her hand on Jace's arm, "but that _is_ his decision not ours," Clary said looking up to Jace who was at least a couple of inches taller than her. "Look," Clary said gesturing to Alec's room. Both Clary and Jace gasped.

Magnus had been thankful for both Clary for allowing him to come here, and Jace for giving him some time with Alec alone without having his head ripped off by Jace, although to be fair that was Clary as well. If he hadn't of been so focussed on Alec, he would have mentioned how they would make a cute couple. He didn't but he had thought it.

His breath hitched as he walked closer to the bed, he could see all of the tube and needles sticking in Alec's body and it killed him, he could barely breathe and he couldn't help but feel that this was his fault. If he hadn't of followed Alec out of the bar and hadn't asked him to stay, maybe he would have been ok. He wished there was something he could do, something to make it better, something to help.

Magnus could hear Clary and Jace argue outside, it was hard to hear what Jace was saying even if it was true, but it was even harder to look at Alec's comatose body lying on the bed. He stood up he couldn't be here anymore, he couldn't look at the body of the boy he loved so much, when he knew that he was already dying inside from the pain Magnus had caused.

He lent down and pressed a kiss to Alec's forehead, it was a simple gesture that said so much, "I'm sorry, Alec" Magnus whispered, "I shouldn't have left you, I was scared." Magnus turned away from Alec and made his way towards the door when Clary and Jace burst into the room with huge smiles on their faces, Magnus turned back around, and that's when he noticed it.

Alec's blue eyes had fluttered open and he had a smile on his face.

 **Hey guys, hoped you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a review to let me know what you think!**

 **Thanks for reading, Bash4102**


	10. Chapter 10

Clary, Jace and Magnus stood around the hospital bed, staring excitedly at Alec who lay on the bed with a confused look on his face. His eyes darted around the room, he had no idea where to look, he could look at Clary who just had a look of sadness on her face, or he could look at Jace who looked like he wanted to kill someone, or he could turn his attention to Magnus. Magnus who looked completely and utterly lost. Alec focused on the words he had heard, had he even heard them at all or was it just his mind playing a nasty trick on him.

"What's going on?" He asked his voice frail.

"Well…" Clary began, but was cut off as the nurse came into the room.

"You do know that there is only supposed to be 2 visitors at a time," She said in a soft voice, but as she noticed that Alec was awake she smiled, "I'll make an exception this one time," She said before making her way over to his bed.

"You were saying Clary," Alec said still confused, "I remember you saying I got attacked but that's about it."

"You did get attacked but we have no idea who did it." Clary said sadness filling her voice, "But you're awake now, we can figure all that stuff out later, so don't worry about it ok."

"How am I supposed to not worry about it?" Alec stated with increased agitation in his voice, "Clary, someone attacked me and you want to forget about it" Alec said raising his voice.

Clary felt Jace tense beside as he began to speak, "Alec I think that's…" Jace was cut off sharply by the girl next to him.

Clary had a wounded look on her face, "I never said to forget about it," Her voice was reduced to a whisper.

Alec noticed her expression, his face was engraved with guilt, "Clary, I'm sorry." It was all he was able to say.

Clary just nodded and smiled at him, it was a sincere smile, "It's ok Alec, I just want you to get better without having to worry," she said as she moved to the side of his bed and took his hand.

"I know." Alec stated before turning to face another person in the room that had barely been acknowledged, "Mags—Magnus what are you doing here?" He asked, and although Alec didn't want to admit it out loud he was kind of glad that Magnus was here.

"Well I couldn't bloody well have you lying here without visiting now could I?" Magnus joked, but Alec had known him long enough to know that there was a whole load of emotion behind his jokes. There always had been, whenever Magnus was asked about something he didn't want to share he'd make jokes, but he always told Alec the truth because Magnus knew that Alec could see through his jokes and his lies.

Alec raised his eyebrows but didn't press any further, mostly because Clary and Jace where there and in that moment he wished they weren't especially after what he heard he honestly just wanted a few minutes alone with Magnus, but he knew that Clary and Jace were there because they cared about them and so he couldn't complain really.

The nurse had also begun to speak to him, "Ok Alec, I'm just going to check all of your vital signs but everything seems to be ok," she said as she started to wrap a blood pressure monitor around his arm, "I'm thinking you should be out by tomorrow."

The monitor began to beep and inflate causing Alec to flinch in slight discomfort, "All good," the nurse said with a smile as she took the monitor of his arm and started to fill in a piece of paper she had clipped to a clipboard.

"Where's Izzy?" Alec asked, with a sudden realisation.

"We called her but she had an important seminar that she couldn't miss, but she said that she is coming in the next few days." Jace said with a hopeful smile, "She wanted to be here, but her attendance counts to her final grade, she has a few days off, she said she's coming then." Jace said, in an attempt to give an explanation.

"It's ok, I understand how demanding her course is," Alec said with a genuine smile, "I guess I've missed quite a lot of my lectures and practical's then," Alec said with a look of frustration on his face.

"No actually," Clary said with a kind face, "It's only Monday, and you don't have lectures on a Monday anyway," that's when her expression turned to a serious one, "But don't think that you're going in tomorrow either, I've already asked Gretel from your course to take some notes for you. So you don't have to worry that you'll be behind." Clary finished with a sigh and a smile.

"Wouldn't want to be on the wrong side of her," Jace whispered to Alec, which caused Alec to laugh and caused Jace to receive a not so light punch from Clary across the bed.

At this point the nurse was still fumbling with some papers in the corner of the room, when she stood up and made her way over to Alec's bed, she placed her hand on Clary's shoulder, "Right, the doctor is on his way to check Alec over completely, but before that we have to take Alec over to CT for a head scan to make sure everything's ok," the trio around the bed looked worried, Alec even more but none of them interrupted the nurse, "You three can wait in the waiting area, it may be a while," She finished with a sympathetic smile.

"What do you mean; we're not leaving Alec alo…" Jace began, his voice increasingly distressed.

"Jace," Clary began her voice soft as a whisper, "We've got to let them do what they need to do," Clary took Jace's arm, "Alec needs to get better, and standing round arguing won't help," although her voice was soft it was demanding.

And with that they exited the room, not before saying goodbye to Alec, Clary placed a soft kiss on his forehead, Jace gave him a slightly awkward hug due to the position Alec was in and Magnus…

Well Magnus had no idea what to do, Jace and Clary had already left and he was stood there, Magnus had never been one to be an awkward person but in this very moment he was very awkward. But Alec just smiled and spoke softly as he said, "I'm glad you came." Magnus smiled and turned to exit pausing to think whether he should have said something else due to the fact it might just make it even more awkward.

Alec took advantage of the few moments that they had alone, "Did you mean it?" He asked in a quiet voice.

"Mean what?" Magnus asked turning to face Alec.

"What you said before I woke up?" Alec said with a rosy smile.

"You heard that!" Magnus said in exasperation, to which Alec just replied with a small nod, "Of course I meant it," Magnus said before smiling and turning to make his way out of the room.

He made his way into the waiting area where Jace and Clary were sitting, he wasn't going to hedge his bets by taking a seat next to Jace and so he opted for the safer option and sat down next to Clary. Magnus could feel the tension between the three of them, and it was swiftly growing.

"Right!" Magnus practically shouted, "I can't take this anymore, I'm going to get coffee." And with that he stormed off in the direction of the café, leaving both Jace and Clary stunned from the events of the last 5 seconds.

"I still don't understand why you brought him." Jace muttered under his breath with a scowl on his face.

"I know Alec loves you, but do you honestly think that the smile Alec had on his face was the result of us arguing outside and not the fact that Magnus was there." Clary huffed turning to face Jace who lifted his head slightly.

"No but…" Jace began, ready to defend his point.

"No _buts_!" Clary said definitively. "I know Magnus hurt him but it's up to Alec what to do next." Clary had been so lost in her conversation with Jace that she hadn't noticed the figure standing a few feet away.

"I know I hurt him." Magnus said solemnly before returning to his seat next to Clary, she opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. And so the trio returned to sitting in silence with the tension growing even more than before.

The time seemed to drag on as the trio waited for news of Alec. Magnus sat watching the clock that hung on the wall behind the reception, he watched as the minutes slowly moved on and the second hand twitched around the clock. It was becoming more and more frustrating to have to sit and wait in complete silence and Magnus knew he wasn't the only one who felt this way. He could see the frustration written across both Clary and Jace's face.

Magnus couldn't take the silence any longer, and so he leaned a bit closer to Clary, "Hey, you ok?" Magnus whispered, although it was enough to make Clary jump slightly.

Clary nodded and flashed a half smile, there was no emotion behind it, "It's just…Oh I don't know," Clary said as she hung her head, "I haven't even known him that long but somehow he just means so much."

Magnus nodded as he said, "He has that effect on people, and he hardly ever realises it."

Clary nodded in agreement, "I'm not one of those people who have loads of friends, I mean I had one quite close friend when I was younger, Simon, but he had to move away after his dad died. So when I do make good friends, I tend to put a lot into them." Clary said looking up. "It probably makes no sense."

"I get what you mean," Jace chimed in from next to Clary.

Both Magnus and Clary turned their head in shock as Jace elaborated, "You're one of those people who puts everything in, every emotion and every feeling into a friendship, but that just makes things like this," Jace said nodding towards the direction of Alec's room, "Even harder," Jace finished with a sigh.

The trio once again sunk back into silence, although this time it wasn't awkward as they had seemed to reach common ground.

It wasn't much later that the nurse returned to tell them that Alec had been for his CT scan and it was all clear and that he would be ok to return home in the morning. The news was music to everyone's ears as they all made their way to Alec's room.

"Hey you get to go home in the morning," Jace said with a bright smile.

 **Hey guys, hoped you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a review to let me know what you think.**

 **Thanks for reading,**

 **Bash4102**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey guys, sorry this chapter has taken so long, I've had a busy few weeks, but here it is! Just a warning but there are some scenes of violence, but other than that I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

Clary's family was never perfect. Even when Jon was alive they'd had their problems. It was just that they were better at hiding them; no it was just that Valentine was better at hiding them.

Clary had quite enjoyed her childhood; she had everything she could have ever wanted, a big house in the suburbs New York that had a vast garden and a huge pool. She had a family that loved her and she had good memories of playing in the garden with her brother, spending time drawing with her mother and even reading with her father.

Well at least they were good memories until that fateful day ten years ago.

Clary remembered it as if it was yesterday. She remembered her mum picking her up from school and taking her for ice-cream. It was strange, Clary's mum never really did stuff like this, and if she did Jon would be there too. Even though Clary was only eight she'd had a strange feeling in her stomach that something wasn't right.

After ice-cream Jocelyn put Clary into the car, buckled her seatbelt and started to drive home. Clary noticed how her mum had been strangely quiet. It was odd. Jocelyn was normally full of life singing along to the radio while Clary laughed in the backseat, but it wasn't like that, not today, and not for a long time after.

When they got home, Clary jumped out of the car and made her way around to the garden. It was her favourite place because there were so many things to draw but also its where her family spent time together. And so she rushed round expecting to see her brother and her father playing a game of some kind, but when she reached the garden, she didn't see what she had expected.

Instead she saw her father sitting solemnly on a chair. She rushed over to him, "Daddy, daddy," she said as she ran. When she reached him she jumped up onto his lap. "Daddy, guess what?" she asked with a giddy smile on her face.

"What?" Valentine asked trying, but failing to replicate her giddiness.

"Mum took me for ice-cream!" Clary shrieked.

"Oh did she, now," Valentine said looking up to his wife who had made her appearance in the garden.

Clary nodded excitedly before turning to look around the garden, "Where's Jon?" Clary asked, still inspecting the garden.

"Clary we need to tell you something," her mother said in a soft voice as Clary turned back around still sitting in her father's lap.

"Jon's not here," Clary's mum said as a tears began to form in the corners of her eyes.

"Well where is he then?" Clary asked growing impatient.

"He's gone," Jocelyn whispered her voice so quiet Clary could barely hear it.

But Clary, being a naive child had no idea what she meant. "Gone where?" she asked in her bright voice.

At this point Valentine had grown annoyed at his wife's inability to say what happened and his daughter's ignorance to it, "He's dead," Valentine said bluntly.

It was at this point that both Clary and her mother began to cry. Clary knew what dead meant. She'd had two rabbits that were dead but this was different. This dead meant more pain.

Clary jumped off her father's lap and ran into her mother's open arms; they both had tears streaming down their faces.

Clary couldn't remember how long it took for her parents to stop her crying, but they did. Although she was never really the same again. Jon was her best friend, and without him she was lost.

10 YEARS LATER (September 2016)

Alec sat on the edge of his hospital bed as Clary talked to the nurse about something medical, he couldn't quite hear exactly what they were saying but he was pretty sure the nurse was making sure that Clary knew that Alec still needed rest and that he wasn't allowed to do anything strenuous, to which Clary was nodding in agreement.

A few moments later the nurse left the room. This meant that it was just him and Clary. Jace had gone back to the apartment to pick some clothes up for Alec, seeing as the only clothes he had were covered in blood. At some point during the night Magnus had to leave due to a problem at the club, although Alec suspected there was more behind it, and as soon as he got out of here he was going to find out.

Alec watched as Clary dropped into the chair in the corner of the room, initially Alec thought she was just tired, but as she raised her hand to her face, Alec noticed what she was doing. She was wiping tears away from her eyes.

Alec stood, from where he had been perched on the bed, with a sharp intake of breath he made his way over to where Clary sat.

"Hey, what's wrong? Everything's ok now, I'm going home," Alec said lightly.

Clary had a half smile on her face as she looked up at Alec, "I know, it's not that, it's just…" Clary began but didn't finish. "You should sit back down you know, don't want to tire yourself out." Clary said, avoiding her previous statement.

Alec looked determined. "I'll sit down," he said before raising his eyebrows. "If you tell me what's really going on with you."

Clary opened her mouth to argue, but decided that she probably wouldn't be able to win an argument against Alec.

"Ok, I'll tell you" she said before sighing, "But it's not going to be pretty." Alec looked shocked as he resumed his place on the bed.

Clary took a deep breath before beginning. "It started not long after my brother died. My mother and I had learned to accept the fact that Jon was gone. I mean we were still grieving obviously, but my father, he couldn't cope, he became angry all of the time. I noticed as I got older that he didn't spend as much time with us as he used to. And the time he did spend with us he was angry or drunk or both."

Clary hadn't looked at Alec once through all of that, and so when she lifted her head and saw his soft expression, she decided to continue. "It began to get worse. He'd come home some days and he'd be so angry that he'd take it out on us." Clary stopped as her voice began to break.

Alec breathed out as he asked. "Clary did he… Did he hit you?" Alec asked in almost disbelief, to which Clary just nodded as tears began to well in her eyes. "What happened after that?" Alec asked.

Clary swallowed before continuing. "It had been going on for years when my mother decided she couldn't put me or herself through it anymore. She picked me up from school one day and drove us to the airport. It was there that we put that life behind us and moved away. And oh, that life was good we learnt that we could be happy again. I made new friends, but as the saying goes all good things must come to an end." Clary said with a sad expression. "He found us, he was angrier than I've ever seen him before. And so, my mum accepted him back, and apologised for leaving. I was so angry at her for allowing that monster back into our lives. But she had a plan. One day while I was at my friend's house she packed up a bag for each of us. She came to my friend's house, and she had the same expression on her face that she had the first time we left." Clary had tears running down her cheeks, as Alec listened intently.

"I hugged my friend's goodbye. They had become like a second family to me. It's where my mum sent me when she knew that my father was in a bad mood, and they looked after me. It was sad to leave them, but I knew we had to. We drove to the nearest airport, and caught a flight home. I thought that that would be it, but it wasn't, Valentine had gotten smarter. He knew we were leaving." Clary voice trembled. "He followed us. Followed us all the way back to New York. When he found us he couldn't contain his anger, my mum told me to go upstairs. I was terrified and so I did, but what happened after that, that's what scared me the most. It went by in a blur and I can't really remember what happened. All I can remember is coming down the stairs to find my mother, bleeding and battered, unconscious on the floor. I called for an ambulance and the police." Clary stopped talking to look up at Alec who had tears running down his face.

"They got him, please say they got him," Alec whispered.

Clary nodded. "They got him, and he's rotting in New York State Prison," Clary said with harshness in her voice.

"But as for my mother," Clary said with a breath. "She's in a coma in the New York Medical Institute. And that's why I found it so hard seeing you like this." She gestured towards Alec.

"Clary, I know you don't like me apologising for things I haven't done, but I am so sorry for what you've had to go through, no one, especially a child, should have to go through that," Alec said as he stood, making his way over to where Clary was sitting and pulling her up into a hug.

"Thank you," Clary whispered into Alec's shoulder. It was at this point that Jace burst through the door, making both Alec and Clary jump.

"Hey it's only me," Jace said with a cocky smile. Clary wiped the tears from her face and hoped that Jace didn't notice. Thankfully he didn't as he was too preoccupied with getting Alec's clothes out of his bag.

Clary waited outside of the hospital room to allow Alec to get dressed with Jace's help. Alec was still a little stiff from his injures.

Clary was lost in her thoughts, when she noticed the nurse walking towards her. "Alec's just getting changed," Clary said with a smile.

"He's done now," Jace said popping his head around the door. "You can come back in now." He was smiling brightly.

Both the nurse and Clary made their way into the room, where Alec was seated on the bed in a fresh pair of jeans and an old woollen jumper. "If you just sign here, you'll be all set for release," the nurse said as she handed a clipboard over to Alec who gladly signed it.

"Let's go home," Alec said with a smile.

 **Please leave a review to let me know what you think. And I promise the next chapter will be a bit happier!**


	12. Chapter 12

It had been a couple of days since Alec had returned from the hospital, and he had yet to see Magnus. He'd called and texted, but there was no reply. So he decided to leave it for a while, although he was determined to speak to him about what was said in the hospital.

Alec sat on the couch in their living room, lost in his thoughts when a familiar voice pulled him out of them.

"Hey Alec," Jace said walking over to the couch, opposite Alec, "Izzy called before, she said she has a reading week coming up so she is going to fly in to see you for a few days." Jace looked down at his phone and smiled, "Her flight left a few hours go, so she'll be with us in a few hours."

"Hmh, that's good." Alec said still kind of lost in his thoughts.

"You ok?" Jace asked.

Alec sighed and turned to face Jace, "Yeah, I'm just tired. I haven't been sleeping well."

"You're not the only one." Clary said entering the room, and as she plonked herself down on the couch next to Alec, "Your brother snores like a pig."

Both Alec and Jace smiled at this, "You agreed to it." Alec laughed.

Clary put her head in her hands, "I know." She breathed before letting out a light chuckle and continuing, "Anyway, not that I want to get rid of you or anything but how long are you actually staying?" She asked Jace with a sweet smile, and although she would never admit it out loud, she hadn't actually minded having Jace around. Well, apart from the snoring.

"Well I'm glad to hear you don't want to get rid of me, but I'll have to go back home soon I can't miss too much of school." Jace said returning Clary's smile. Alec smiled to himself as he noticed the slightly flirtatious banter going back and forth between Jace and Clary.

They continued to chat and joke around until Clary noticed Alec resting his head in his hand with his mouth slightly open. She chuckled lightly before placing a hand on Alec's shoulder, "Alec," she said softly, "Why don't you go to bed, you look exhausted." Clary asked.

"Clary it's the middle of the afternoon, and even so Izzy is flying in soon." Alec insisted, although it did nothing to convince Clary.

Clary raised her eyebrows and glanced over a Jace for help, "Alec, Izzy's flight won't arrive for another couple of hours, go get some sleep." Jace pleaded, and Alec finally gave in, sighing and making his way to his room, leaving Clary and Jace alone.

Clary looked around the room, trying to avoid the awkward silence that had fallen, before huffing and pulling herself up off the couch, "I have some work to do, but feel free to put the TV on or something." She said making her way out of the room.

Jace nodded and reached over for the remote that was sat on the coffee table in front of him. Clary glanced over her shoulder discretely before making her way to her room.

She sat down at her desk, _'oh god, how can I have this much work'_ she thought to herself. She looked down at her timetable where she had scribbled down some notes about assignments that were due in soon. She sighed before sitting down at her desk before pulling out the first assignment.

'Draw something you find beautiful,' was all it said on it. Clary sat down and racked her brain for something to draw, something that was beautiful, that could be anything. She could draw a landscape or a beachside or a horizon but that was too plain and overdone. She needed to do something that would stand out, something truly beautiful. And so she started to draw.

She had barely been drawing for an hour when she heard a knock at the door, she hastily pushed her drawing under some papers before turning and facing the door, "Come in," she presumed it was Alec but as she saw a flash of blond she knew it was Jace.

"I was wondering if could come and sit with you for a bit," Jace asked sheepishly, he didn't look like the type of boy who got nervous around girls, but in this instance he did, "I couldn't find anything to watch." He said clarifying why he came in.

"Oh I know, we only have a couple of channels, comes with the territory of being a student," She said with a bright smile on her face.

"So what were you up to in here?" Jace asked taking a seat on the bed.

"I had some assignments that needed completing, and some that I hadn't even started yet." Clary said with a kind of stressed tone.

"What kind of assignments?" Jace quizzed, looking genuinely intrigued.

"Art ones mostly, some of my other classes have given me work to do, but its minor stuff." Clary said turning slightly to look at the work piling up on her desk.

"Oh right, Alec mentioned you were good at art, can I see?" Jace asked, to which Clary looked slightly hesitant, "You don't have too," Jace continued.

"Oh, what the heck!" Clary exclaimed before making her way over to her wardrobe and pulling out a large portfolio. Jace leaned over slightly so he could see what she was carrying.

Clary made her way over to the bed, taking her place next to Jace. She sighed before unzipping the portfolio and pulling put a sketchbook she kept in there, "These ones are from a while ago, they may not be any good," Clary said handing Jace the sketchbook hesitantly.

Jace opened the first page of the book and saw the most beautiful sketch of the New York skyline, "Clary…" He whispered, "These are just…" Jace said, pausing to turn the page and look at the next few sketches, "Incredible." Jace finally whispered.

And with that Clary's face wasn't worried anymore in fact she broke out into the most amazing smile, "I'm glad you think so," She said as she started turning the pages and explaining her drawings.

Jace sat with a look of awe on his face as he watched the beautiful redhead next to him get lost in her explanations of her sketches. He knew that he should have been listening to what she was saying about her art, but he couldn't help but notice the way her eyebrows knitted together as she tried to remember facts or the way she would push her hair behind her ear when it fell across her face. He couldn't help but notice.

"…this one I drew about a year ago." Clary said pointing to picture in the sketchbook, Jace shook himself out of his little daydream and drew his attention to the drawing, and it was even more amazing than the previous ones.

He looked down at the drawings and he couldn't stop the words from flowing out of his mouth, "Clary you are so talented and these are probably the most amazing drawings I've seen."

Clary smiled softly, "That's sad," Jace looked confused and so she continued, "Haven't you ever been to an art gallery, their art is ten times anything I could ever do." Clary murmured.

"I've been to a few, and I can honestly say, they've got nothing on you." Jace stated with a genuine smile.

Clary felt a blush begin to rise, and so she decided it hide her face behind her hands, not wanting Jace to know what affect his words had had on her. However Jace had noticed and it made him smile, and before he knew what he was doing he was moving Clary's hands away from her face. Not a word was spoken between them as Jace left his hand placed on Clary's cheek, and before they could comprehend what was happening they were both leaning in closer to each other, both of them so unprepared yet so ready for what was about to happen.

A loud noise made both of them jump out of their skin and pull away from each other, Jace jumping up off the bed and Clary turning away to hide her blush. It didn't take them long to realise that the noise was Jace's phone.

"Are you going to answer that?" Clary muttered to Jace with a half-smile.

Jace couldn't find his words and so found himself nodding as he pulled his phone out of his pocket, "It's Izzy." He breathed, with a slight hint of annoyance, but answering it anyway.

"Hey Iz," Jace said quietly, with a hint of pink tainted across his cheeks.

Clary smiled as she heard Izzy's voice coming from the other end of the phone call.

 _"_ _JACE LIGHTWOOD, I HAVE BEEN WAITING HERE FOR HALF AN HOUR!"_ Isabelle practically screamed from her end of the phone.

"Iz, how was I supposed to know," Jace asked smiling to Clary who was still sat on the bed, packing away her art stuff back into her folder.

 _"_ _I messaged you about ten times, now can you please come and get me,"_ Izzy said considerably less angry than she was before.

"Oh," was all Jace managed to say.

" _Wait…"_ exclaimed Izzy, and Jace immediately knew what was coming, _"Are you with someone?"_

"No…" Jace began, "Well, yes, but not in the way you're thinking," Jace said taking a glance over his shoulder at Clary who was now packing her stuff back away into her wardrobe. Even when doing such a mundane task, Clary looked beautiful and once again Jace couldn't help but notice.

 _"_ _I thought you were supposed to be looking after Alec, not chasing after girls,"_ Izzy stated in a sing song voice.

"Alec's asleep at the moment, and I'm not chasing after anyone," and although she wouldn't care to admit it, Clary was quite disappointed in Jace's declaration.

 _"_ _Well okay then, you have plenty of time to come and pick me up, even the airport is freezing!"_ Izzy demanded before hanging the phone up.

"Clary," Jace started before turning to face Clary, "I've got to go pick Izzy up from the airport, she's complaining about the weather," Jace stated chuckling, "She's studying in California, she's not used to it being this cold."

Clary laughed slightly, "Well you best be going, Izzy doesn't sound like someone who likes being kept waiting."

"She's not," Jace said before exiting Clary's room and making his way to the front door, "See you soon," Jace added before leaving the apartment.

Clary pressed her back against the wall and slid down until she was sitting on the floor with her head in her hands.

"What was that about," a voice from behind her said, pulling her away from her thoughts.

"Aline, when did you get in?" Clary asked, shocked.

"About half an hour ago, but Alec was sleeping and you were busy with that blond dude." Aline said, taking a seat next to Clary.

"Jace." Clary whispered.

"What?" Aline asked with a confused look on her face.

"Jace, Alec's brother, I almost kissed him Aline, I've only known his for about a week and I almost kissed him, then his sister called and we acted like nothing happened." Clary confessed, resting her head on Aline's shoulder.

"So, what are you going to do about it?" Aline inquired.

"I don't know," Clary whined, "I'll just wait to see if things blow over." Clary felt Aline nod beside her and decided that if Aline thought it was a good plan, then it mustn't be that bad. "Now, I've just got to decide what to make for dinner, how many of us is there?" Clary asked.

"Err…Well there's me, you and Alec, then there's his brother and sister, oh and Maia and Jordan are out on a date," Aline said raising her voice slightly and giggling.

"I knew there was something going on there." Clary squealed, "We'll question her when she gets home." Clary said with a smile, to which Aline responded with a nod of agreement.

"So that means there's five of us, wouldn't it just be easier to order something in?" Aline looked pleadingly at Clary who looked like she was about to argue but decided against it.

"Yeah, probably we could just order in from Blackthorns." Clary suggested.

"I've never had it, is it any good?" Aline asked.

"It's amazing I call Helen, and see if she's free to have dinner with us." Clary stated taking her phone out of her pocket.

"Who's Helen?" Aline questioned.

"A friend of mine, she's really sweet, you'd like her. One sec, just going to call her now." Clary said dialling a number in her phone.

"Hey Helen, just wondering what you're up to tonight?" Clary said with a smile on her face.

Aline could hear a woman's voice through the phone and presumed it must be Helen, _"Not much, I get of work at 7,"_ Helen said brightly.

"Ooh, good would you like to come for dinner?" Clary asked.

 _"_ _Yeah, sounds good, what are we having?"_ Helen inquired.

"Oh, we were just going to order something in." Clary said.

 _"_ _Do you just want me to bring some stuff from the café?"_ Helen asked with a hint of knowingness in her voice.

"That's exactly what I was thinking," Clary said with a laugh, "You know me so well, Helen!"

 _"_ _What do you want me to bring?"_ Helen asked, with a chuckle.

"Maybe some of your pizzas or sandwiches, either or both are good," Clary said turning to face Aline, "Anything you want?" Clary asked, to which Aline just shook her head.

"Pizza sounds good." She said with a smile.

Just as Clary was about to say goodbye to Helen and end the phone call, she heard a shout coming from Alec's room, "One sec Helen." Clary said before making her way to Alec's room and opening the door, "Alec are you ok?"

"Mh-hm, I'm fine, just make sure Helen brings pie," Alec laughed, "HELEN BRING PIE!" Alec shouted so that Helen could hear him through the phone.

 _"_ _I'll bring pie,"_ Helen chuckled, _"See you later guys,"_ Helen said before ending the phone call.

"How long have you been awake?" Clary said, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

Alec didn't want to admit that he'd been awake long enough to hear Clary and Aline's conversation and so he lied; "Only a few minutes, you're not particularly quiet on the phone, by the way."

"Oh right. Jace has just gone to pick Izzy up from the airport." Clary said leaning back against the foot of the bed.

Alec nodded and turned his attention to Aline who had taken a seat in Alec's desk chair, "When did you get in?" He asked.

"Not that long ago, but you were sleeping so I didn't want to disturb you." Aline said playing with an elastic band she found on Alec's desk.

Just as Alec was about to ask Aline another question he heard people bursting through the front door of their apartment. Clary and Aline jumped up from where they were sitting and made their way into the hallway. Alec took a deep breath, climbing out of bed and then making his way out of his room to greet his siblings.

"ALEC!" Was all Alec heard before he was wrapped up in a huge hug, it didn't take him long to realise who it was.

"Izzy…" Alec winced, he usually loved his sister's tight hugs, but under this certain predicament, it hurt a lot more than usual.

"Oh god, I'm sorry." Izzy said with an apologetic look on her face.

"It's okay sis, it's good to see you." Alec smiled ruffling Izzy hair, which caused Alec to receive a very irritated look from his sister, but it didn't last long.

"And you must be Clary," Izzy said with a mischievous smile, "I've heard a lot about you from _both_ of my brothers," Izzy said taking a quick glance over her shoulder at Jace, who looked slightly embarrassed, before stepping forward and pulling Clary into a hug. Clary was shocked at first, but quickly returned the embrace.

Izzy stepped back as Alec began to talk, "Iz, this is Aline, one of my other roommates."

"Is that all I am?" Aline asked with a laugh, before reaching out to hug Izzy who gladly obliged.

"Well, it's nice to meet you all, but I'm starving, I haven't eaten in ages." Izzy said placing her hand over her stomach.

"Iz it's your fault you refuse to eat aeroplane food." Jace chimed in from behind Izzy as he took of his shoes.

"But it's disgusting," Izzy stated pulling a strange face, causing everyone but Izzy to laugh.

"Don't worry, our friend Helen is on her way over with food," Clary said trying to supress her laugh, "What time is it?"

"Ten to seven." Jace said after glancing down at his watch.

"Okay good, she'll be here in about half an hour." Clary said to which Izzy groaned.

They all made their way into the living room, where conversation flowed easily.

"So Izzy," Aline began, "Alec tells me you're studying to become a forensic pathologist, what's it like?" Aline finished.

"It's hard and busy and stressful." Izzy stated, "But I enjoy it and that's all that matters right?" Izzy said, which was answered by a collective nod from everyone in the room, "So what are you studying?" Izzy asked.

"I'm studying law; it's not the greatest but as you said enjoying it is all that matters." Aline said smiling.

Their conversation continued to flow until they were all pulled away from it by the sound of their doorbell, "That better be the food," Izzy said, standing up from where she was seated on the couch.

"Yeah, not just the food but our friend as well, so please be nice," Alec warned, making his way towards the door. "Helen," Alec said as he opened the door to her, "Oh, please come in." He said after pulling Helen in for a hug and taking her bags of food.

He gestured towards the living room and watched as Helen made her way through, "Clary," Helen shouted making her way over to the couch and pulling Clary into a hug.

"Hey Helen, it's so good to see you." Clary mumbled into Helen's shoulder.

"Not to break up this lovely reunion, but I've been on a seven and a half hour flight and I haven't eaten yet. Please can we eat now?" Izzy chimed in.

Alec glared at Izzy from across the room, but she didn't mind because both Clary and Helen were laughing, "Of course, Alec if you don't mind," Helen said stepping across the room to take the bags of food from out of Alec's hand.

She placed the bags down on the coffee table and began to take the food out of the bag, "So, I brought some pizza, a few sandwiches, lots of chips, some curly fries and at your request," she said turning to face Alec, "Pie. I brought blueberry pie, apple pie and a Banoffee pie." Helen concluded, scrunching the bags in her hands.

"Helen, you're an angel." Alec said taking a seat next to the table.

"Fine then I'll grab the plates." Aline said sarcastically, making her way to the connected kitchen.

"Would you like some help?" Helen asked.

"Err…No…No, I'll be fine thank you." Aline stuttered, smiling sweeting at the girl before her. Alec and Clary shared a glance, but didn't say anything else.

Aline returned to the living area carrying 6 plates, "Here we go," Helen said taking the plates from Aline who had begun to blush a bright pink colour, "Everyone tuck in," Helen stated handing out the plates.

Everyone loaded food on to their plates, and began to tuck in, "My god, Helen, this food is AMAZING!" Izzy stated before taking another couple of slices of pizza and piling them onto her plate.

"I'm glad to hear it!" Helen said brightly before returning to eating.

The evening passed on with everyone enjoying themselves, Maia and Jordan had showed up half the way through the night and enjoyed a slice of pie, as for Alec he had enjoyed about 3 slices of pie.

They continued to enjoy themselves until Alec began to nod off in his chair, "I'm going to bed. Goodnight everyone." He said kissing Izzy on the cheek lightly before making his way to his room.

"Night, Alec." Everyone called after him.

"You know what, I should be going." Helen stated standing from where she had been seated next to Aline.

"Are you sure?" Aline asked, with a hopeful look on her face.

"I'm afraid so, I've got an early shift tomorrow, so I better be off." She said looking slightly disappointed.

"I'll walk you out," Aline said, standing and walking with Helen to the door, she waited until she was out of earshot until she began to speak again. "It was really nice to meet you Helen." Aline said, as she felt a blush begin to rise.

"It was nice to meet you too; we should do it again sometime." Helen said, before opening the door and letting herself out, and just as Aline was about to close the door she saw Helen glance over her shoulder and give her a mischievous wink, which just made Aline blush even more.

Aline returned to the living room where everyone sat still wrapped up in their conversations, she sat down next to Clary on the couch and began to talk with the group. They had barely been talking five minutes when the doorbell rang again.

"Maybe Helen left something of hers." Aline said hopefully.

"I'll get it." Izzy said with a smile on her face, standing from the couch and making her way to the door.

She opened the door and began to greet Helen, until she realised it wasn't Helen who was standing there at all, it was…

"Magnus…" She breathed.

"Well, hello Isabelle."

 **Hey guys, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please leave a review to let me know what you think or if you have any questions. I'm on Easter half term now, so hopefully I will be able to update quicker.**

 **Hope you enjoyed. Bash4102**


	13. Chapter 13

6 MONTHS AGO

"Alec…" Izzy asked knocking on the door to her brothers room, "Are you in here? Mum said you got back from your trip last night." Izzy couldn't get any response from her brother and so she tried one more time, "Alec, is something wrong? Can I come in?" She asked before trying to forcibly open the door.

"One second," Alec stated groggily, almost like he'd been crying. Izzy heard Alec make his way across the room and unlock the bolt on his door, opening so his sister could enter.

"What the hell happened in here?" Izzy exclaimed as she inspected the room. She saw Alec's suitcase flung open on the floor with clothes pouring out of it, she saw how his curtains were pulled closed so tight that no light could get in, and then she saw a fist sized hole in the wall next to the mirror. "If you don't explain what's going on with you," Izzy stated, turning to face Alec and raising her finger so it pointed at him, "I'm going to get mom."

"Izzy, please…" Alec pleaded, "Can't you just leave it?"

"No, I want to know why when I called you two weeks ago you were as happy as can be and _now…"_ She said, raising her voice and gesturing to the wall, "And now, you're punching holes in your wall."

"Do you remember when I told you about that guy I met in England?" Alec asked, returning to the cocoon he had made in his bed.

"Oh yeah, tall, dark and handsome." Izzy joked taking a seat next to Alec.

"I lied," Alec murmured, "I didn't meet him in England."

"Oh, did you meet him in Paris? That is the city of love to be fair." Izzy digressed, "Is that why you're sad? Because you're here and he's there?"

"Kind of." Alec stated bluntly.

"Alec, please I'm worried about you and I just want to know what's wrong," She said placing her hand on Alec's, "So I can help you."

"There's nothing you can do to help me," Was all Alec could say before he burst into tears again.

"My god Alec, please tell me what's wrong?" Izzy asked, as she tried to sooth her brother.

"He left me Izzy, he left me." Alec cried with his head resting in his sister's lap.

"Who, the guy you met in Paris?" Izzy inquired.

"I didn't meet him in Paris; I met him in New York." Alec stated between sobs.

"Wait, I'm confused." Izzy said stroking Alec's hair.

"I met him when I was 16; he was on holiday and he was lost. He asked me for directions and I was heading that way anyway so I offered to show him."

"What's his name Alec?" Izzy asked, trying to remain calm.

"Magnus," Alec cried, "Magnus Bane."

"And what happened then Alec?" Izzy questioned.

"We dated for a while, then Magnus told me he was taking a sandwich year and that he was going traveling. He asked me to come with him." Alec said beginning to calm down.

"That's why you took the gap year." Izzy stated, "But then what happened, everything sounded like it was going well?" Izzy asked.

"He left, I woke up one day. He said he couldn't do it anymore, and he left." Alec affirmed.

"If I ever meet that Magnus Bane, I swear to god…" Izzy began but was cut off by Alec.

"Don't Iz, please don't."

6 MONTHS LATER

"Magnus Bane, what the hell are you doing here?" Izzy said becoming increasingly agitated.

"I've come to see your brother." Magnus stated remaining calm.

"I'm guessing you don't mean Jace." Izzy uttered bluntly.

"No, I do not mean Jace, now please can I come in?" Magnus asked slightly less calm than he was before.

Izzy was about to object when Clary came up behind her, "Magnus?" Clary asked, "Izzy? Is everything okay here?"

"No, it's not." Izzy stated with a scowl. "Magnus wants to see Alec."

Magnus rolled his eyes before turning to address Clary, "Please, you did it for me before." Magnus pleaded.

"YOU DID WHAT?" Izzy shouted before being shushed by Clary who politely reminded her that Alec was sleeping, "You did what?" Izzy asked in a quieter voice.

"When Alec was in the hospital…" Clary began, not sure if she wanted to continue, "Magnus came here and asked if I could take him to see Alec, and I took him." Clary finished looking to Magnus, knowing she wouldn't want to look at Izzy.

"How could you …Why did." Izzy stuttered for the right words, "Do you know what _he_ did?" Izzy asked scowling at Magnus.

"Yes I do actually, and Magnus has accepted that what…" Clary began but was cut off by Magnus.

"You know what?" Magnus asked, "I came here to explain myself to Alec, but it seems that I am going to have to explain myself to you before I'm allowed anywhere near your brother. So can we please go inside, instead of standing in a hallway?" Magnus implored.

Izzy opened her mouth to protest but, decided against it and instead nodded towards the living room as a gesture for Magnus to follow her.

"Magnus? What are you doing here?" Jace asked as Magnus entered the room.

"Explaining myself, so it seems." Magnus sighed.

"Look, you don't have to." Clary stated placing her hand on Magnus' arm.

"Yes he does." Izzy demanded, "No offence Clary, but you didn't see Alec when he got home from his trip; he was a wreck. He barely left his room, he never let anyone open his curtains, he punched a bloody big hole in his wall. And I want to hear his justification for why."

"Izzy, bit harsh." Jace whispered.

"No, she's right," Magnus stated, which resulted in a very shocked Izzy and Jace for that matter, "She is right, I hurt Alec, I shouldn't have hurt him but I did. I hurt him because I listened to someone who I definitely shouldn't have listened to." Magnus chuckled slightly but Clary could see the tears he was holding back.

"Her name was Camille, I've known her forever, we were childhood sweethearts and she had a hold on me and she convinced me that Alec didn't… Couldn't love me, me of all people. And instead of waiting for Alec to break my heart, I decided to save myself the heartache and just leave."

"Breaking his heart instead." Everyone turned to face the corner of the room, in shock, where Aline had lifted her head up from her book, "Oh sorry I didn't mean to say it out loud, it just came out. I should go." Aline said standing up from where she was seated on a couch.

"No stay, you're Alec's friend too, and you're right, in an attempt to save my heart, I broke Alec's and in turn my own." Magnus said dropping down into a chair which sat beside him.

"But why?" Clary questioned.

"When I was nine, my mother was very, very depressed and she hung herself in our family barn, my step-father blamed me, he told me that no-one would ever love me, no-one could ever love me. He then tried to drown me in the lake by my house." By this point Magnus wasn't holding his tears back anymore, "I only ever told Camille and a few of my closest friends and Alec of course. But when Camille used it against me, I broke inside."

"Magnus…" Clary said reaching out and placing her hand on top of Magnus', "Whatever your mother was going through, I am sure that you weren't the reason."

"Thank you Clary." Magnus sniffled out between sobs.

"And yet you still left him in a country that isn't his own to fend for himself." Izzy stated but as soon as it came out of her mouth she realised she was wrong to say it.

"I know it's no excuse for breaking Alec's heart, but believe me, I broke mine too. I've realised how much I loved him, and how foolish I was to let Camille wrangle her way between us and I'm sorry, okay. I'm sorry." Magnus stated sombrely as he pulled himself up from the chair and hastily made his way out of the door.

"Izzy, what did you do?" Everyone looked up in shock as Alec stood half asleep in the door frame.

"Alec I…" Izzy began but it was useless because he was already off and making his way after Magnus.

Alec didn't care that it was the middle of the night or, that he was only in his pyjamas, he began to shout Magnus's name as he made his way down the building. He could hear a few angry shouts coming from his neighbours but he honestly didn't care, he just needed to find Magnus. But the more he ran, the more his body began to ache and, he soon realised that he wouldn't be able to go much further without aggravating his already existing injuries. And so he pressed his back against the wall, at this point he didn't even know what floor he was on; his eyes were too filled with tears meaning that he was unable to read any of the signs.

He slid down the wall until he was sat with his legs balled up against his chest and his head in his hands, and he began to cry. He didn't know how long he had been sat on the floor or how long he had been crying, he just knew that the word he had been sobbing was the name of the man he loved, the name "Magnus."

 **Beta: shadow_writer (ao3 account)**

 **Hey guys, as you can see I have a new beta who will be the beta for all my future chapters, be sure to check out her ao3 account and her tumblr (shadow-readernwriter). Hope you enjoyed this chapter, please let me know what you thought of this chapter in the reviews. :)**


	14. Chapter 14

Alec woke the next morning with stiff joints and a banging headache. He looked down and saw that he was in his bed. Although he knew it was a long shot, he hoped the events of last night had all been a dream. He sighed as he pulled himself up out of his bed, wincing as his joints began to click. He made his way into the living room where Jace, Izzy, Clary and Aline where all deep in conversation, but as soon as they noticed Alec, they all fell into an eerie silence.

"So I'm guessing last night happened?" Alec asked, taking a seat next to Clary on their couch.

"Alec, I'm so sorry, I was angry at him and I knew I shouldn't have said what I did, but it just came out, I couldn't stop it." Izzy stammered in an attempt to explain herself.

"At least you didn't kill him, like you said you would." Alec joked although it didn't really come out that way.

"You once asked me not to go there, and I did," Izzy confessed. "If there is anything I could do to change what happened, believe me I would do it."

"Izzy, there's nothing you can do to change what happened, just leave it now, please." Alec declared, silencing his sister from across the room. "How did I get back anyway, to my room I mean?" Alec asked, breaking the awkward silence that had fallen.

"Me and Jace went to find you," Clary stated, "While Aline calmed Izzy down," Clary said glancing at Aline then at Izzy. "Me and Jace found you passed out on the floor; we carried you back and put you to bed." Clary revealed.

"Do you want to do anything today?" Jace asked in an attempt to change the subject.

"Not really," Alec muttered bluntly.

"Anything we can do for you?" Jace asked.

"Some water would be good." Alec answered, to which Jace immediately jumped up off the couch and grabbed a glass of water for Alec. "Thanks." Alec muttered as he took the glass from Jace.

"So what are we going to do today?" Izzy asked with a hopeful look on her face, and in that moment Clary realised what she was trying to do, she was trying to make up for what happened last night.

"We don't have to do anything Iz." Alec muttered, taking a sip of water.

"No, come on guys." Izzy sighed, "I flew all the way over from California to be with my family and I'm not spending my time in a cramped student living room." Izzy exclaimed.

Alec opened his mouth to protest but, was cut off by Izzy who had turned her attention to Clary who was sat in the corner of the room with her head in book, "What about you?" Izzy asked.

It took Clary a second to register that Izzy was talking to her. "What?" Clary asked in confusion.

"You'll come out won't you?" Izzy pleaded.

"Well, I would but I've got a lot of work to do. I've got, like, six assignments that are due soon. And I have a lecture today." Clary reasoned with a sorry expression.

"Please." Izzy mouthed to Clary across the room.

"Oh go on then. It's only a first year lecture so I'm in!" Clary exclaimed, much to Izzy's delight.

It was at this point that Jace piped up from the opposite side of the room, "Well, if Clary's in, I'm in." Jace stated which caused Clary to blush and Jace suddenly realised what he had said, "I just mean because, you know, I don't just want to be sitting in her apartment if she's not here and Alec's sleeping and…" Jace sighed knowing he had tried and failed to convince the others of his _innocent mistake_.

"Oh goody," Izzy laughed, clapping her hands, "It's just you now Alec."

"Fine." Alec said nodding head and smiling slightly at his sister's persistence, "What are we even going to do?" Alec asked.

"Well that's not the spirit to be in, is it Alec?" Izzy said raising her eyebrow. "We could…" Izzy began, before pulling her phone out and doing a search for things to do in the area, "We could go to Sea Life, that's like 20 minutes away." Izzy stated still scrolling through her phone.

"What are we, like six?" Jace laughed.

"Actually that might be useful, I have a project that I need to do and it's centred on aquatic life." Clary stated with a thoughtful look.

"Okay then it's settled we're going to Sea Life," Izzy stated as she stood. "I need to get ready. Clary is it ok if I use your shower." Izzy asked. "All Alec's got is this horrible sandalwood shampoo, and I'd rather not smell like that."

"Yeah of course, but I've only got apple shampoo so I hope that's ok." Clary said smiling.

"That is perfect." Izzy laughed, striding off into Clary's room.

30 minutes later they were all ready to go out for a day out of fun, although Alec wasn't convinced yet. "Come on Alec it'll be fun." Izzy claimed, to which all she received was a huff from her brother.

"How are we getting there?" Clary asked turning to face Alec and Isabelle.

"I'll drive." Alec stated bluntly as he took the keys out of his pocket.

"No you won't." Jace said piping up from behind Clary, "No strenuous activities remember."

"How is driving strenuous?" Alec asked sarcastically.

"I don't know, you might pull a muscle reaching for the gear stick." Jace debated, "Alright you probably won't pull a muscle reaching for the gear stick, but I'm driving." Jace declared before grabbing the keys from Alec's hand. "Right let's go." Jace stated before pulling the door open and gesturing for Clary to walk through the door.

Alec sighed before pulling the door closed behind him and Izzy. Jace and Clary were already off down the stairs talking about how Jace was going to catch up all the work he missed to which Jace just replied with a shrug and a cheeky grin.

"So what do you think about that then?" Izzy ventured nodding her head towards Clary and Jace.

"They'd be cute." Alec stated jogging slightly to catch up with his sister.

"Alec." Izzy said, stopping and resting her hand on Alec's upper arm, "While we have a second alone, I would just like to say again how sorry I am for what I said. I stepped over the line and maybe now I've ruined any chance… I'm just sorry Alec."

"For what defending me." Alec said with a light chuckle although Izzy had known him long enough to see through his façade.

"I meant it Alec." Izzy affirmed, looking down at her feet as a feeling of guilt pervaded through her.

"I know you did Iz." Alec said, his features softening, "You were only trying to help, let's forget about it now and enjoy our day, okay?" Alec said, placing a finger under Izzy's chin and bringing her head up.

"I love you big brother."

"I love you too."

2 DAYS LATER

"It was lovely meeting you." Clary said, smiling as she passed Jace his bag from the back of the car.

"When we're back in New York, we will have to meet up sometime." Jace joked, winking at Clary before taking the bag.

"If you two have finished flirting, we have flights to catch." Izzy laughed as she made her way over to the duo. Izzy's comment had made Clary had blush a bright pink, and Jace grin widely.

"Come on guys," Alec began, "You don't want to miss your flights now do you?"

Jace shook his head and pushed the boot of the car down, "You coming?" He asked Clary, who just nodded and followed behind him. Jace waited a few seconds, so that Alec and Izzy were out of earshot, "Oh one more thing," He whispered, "Here is my number," He said slipping Clary a piece of paper, "You know in case anything happens to Alec or if there's an emergency or something." Jace finished with shy smile on his face.

"Okay," Clary laughed, "Just in case there's an emergency." Clary said with a knowing smile as she took the paper from Jace's hand. "Now come on or you will miss your flight."

Clary stood next to Alec as they watched Izzy and Jace made their way to check into their flights, but before they could reach the queue, Izzy turned around, dropping her bags and running back towards Alec.

"I'm going to miss you." She whispered in his ear as she pulled him in for a hug.

"I'm going to miss you too." Alec said, wrapping his arms around his sister.

"Oh and Clary," Izzy said as she pulled back from the hug, "Look after my brother."

"Of course I will." Clary stated with a smile.

"I love you, big brother." Izzy affirmed, before turning and making her way back over to Jace.

"I love you too." Alec called, causing a few people to turn around and face them, but Alec didn't care. He really did love his sister, not matter what she did.

 **Beta: shadow_writer** (ao3 account)

 **Hey guys, hope you enjoyed this chapter, let me know what you thought in the reviews!**


	15. Chapter 15

2 MONTHS LATER

"Alec?" Clary whined as she stood in front of the fridge with the door wide open.

"Yes?" Alec asked lifting his head up from his textbook to look at Clary.

"We don't have any food." Clary declared with a sulk on her face.

"And whose fault is that?" He retorted with a smug grin on his face.

"It's not my fault I was hungry." Clary muttered under her breath.

"What was that?" Alec asked sarcastically.

"Nothing." She called back, closing the fridge and making her way over to the couch, "What are you doing?" Clary asked, eyeing up Alec's notes.

"Copying up the stuff I missed." Alec said pulling another book out of his bag.

"Didn't you miss that like 2 months ago?" Clary questioned.

"Yeah," Alec sighed, looking completely stressed as he continued, "but I forgot to copy up. Now we've got a test and I was looking for the notes and realised I didn't have any."

Clary stood up from the couch and made her way back to the kitchen, flicking the kettle on and putting some ground coffee beans into a mug. "How are you doing now, you feeling fully fit again?" She asked as she poured the hot water into the mug and making her way back over to the couch. "Coffee, just the way you like it: black and bitter as your soul." Clary laughed placing the mug down next to Alec.

Alec raised his eyebrows, laughing as he said, "Thank you Fray. I'm fully fit again and no-one made a big deal about it. I thought that everyone would take the piss out of me for getting beaten up, but no one seemed to care or know, I'm not sure which." Alec stated, picking the mug up and taking a sip of his coffee.

"What did you say?" Clary asked with a look of confusion and shock.

"About what?" Alec asked with an equal look of confusion.

"About people not knowing about what happened." Clary said her confusion turning to worry.

"Well, I didn't tell anyone I got beaten up and you only told Gretel I was off ill, so it seemed that people didn't know what happened," Alec stated, "Why?"

"After Izzy and Jace went home, I had a lecture when I got there Sebastian, you know Sebastian." Clary asked to which Alec replied with a nod, "He came up to me and asked if you'd gotten home the hospital safely." Clary revealed, "I didn't think anything of it then, but now…"

"Clary, don't worry, it probably wasn't him. Maybe someone saw me there, who knows? He may be a little strange but not the _I'm going to beat you up in the street_ kind." Alec said with a half-smile as he patted Clary on the head, to which Clary shot him an annoyed glance before beginning to laugh.

"What about…" Clary began, "Magnus?" Clary finished, with a cautious tone.

"What about Magnus?" Alec echoed, refusing to look up from his textbook.

"Have you spoken to him since…?" Clary asked with a sharp intake of breath.

"No, I've tried. I've phoned, he doesn't answer. I've texted, he doesn't reply." Alec stated, still refusing to take his gaze away from his books.

"Alec," Clary began, once again in a cautious tone, "You still love him don't you?" She asked.

"Of course I do Clary, and I know I blamed him before, but, now I know…" Alec started but couldn't finish.

"But now you know what?" Clary asked him.

"Now I know more than ever that I want to be with him, and that I will do anything to get him back. I just don't know how." Alec stated with a solemn expression.

"What about Christmas?" Clary exclaimed excitedly.

"What about it?" Alec asked with a sceptical look on his face.

"You could do a big gesture thingy for him at Christmas." Clary declared waving her arms around in an attempt to demonstrate her plan.

"Okay." Alec said nodding his head in agreement, "That might actually work. He's going back to New York for Christmas as well. I could do something then." Alec said excitedly.

"That's the spirit." Clary laughed clapping her hands. "When do your classes finish for Christmas?" Clary asked.

"The 14th, you?" Alec answered and returning the question.

"Lucky sod," Clary muttered under her breath, causing a smile to appear on Alec's face, "I think mine finish on the 15th," Clary continued, "I think I'm going to fly back on the 16th or the 17th." Clary said, debating with herself.

"We could book flights back together." Alec suggested.

"Good idea." Clary stated, pulling out her phone and putting a search in for flights, "What day do you want to fly back?" Clary asked, still scrolling through her phone.

"The 16th would be easier, I've got a family meal on the 17th and I'd rather have the day to prepare myself for it than have to face it as soon as I get off a plane." Alec stated.

"Fair enough." Clary laughed, "What about the 16th at 1:25pm?" Clary asked.

"Perfect. Can you book the flights and I'll just pay you back." Alec pleaded with his best puppy dog eyes.

"Yeah, of course." Clary smiled, as she started to tap away on her phone.

The next few weeks passed smoothly, with Clary doing winter themed assignments, and Alec learning about the medical dangers of winter. Everything from pneumonia to car crashes caused by ice. All in all it was an interesting few weeks that passed very quickly, and without realising it, Clary and Alec were stood at the front door of their apartment ready to go, with their bags packed.

"Ahhh Aline, I'm going to miss you." Clary said rocking her friend backwards in a hug, "I know I'm going to see you in like 3 weeks but, but I'm going to miss you." Clary clarified.

"I'm going to miss you too." Aline laughed, before pulling back and pulling Alec into a hug, "Good luck." Aline whispered in his ear.

"Thank you." Alec whispered back. "Oh and one more thing, before you go home please go and talk to Helen."

Aline pulled back from the hug, "What?" She asked with a shocked look on her face.

"We all see it Aline. Every time we've hung round together, I see the way you look at her." Clary stated with a smile on her face, "I know you like her, but I also know she likes you too."

"She does." Aline whispered, but not so quiet that Alec and Clary couldn't hear her. "She does." Aline stated a bit louder than before, "I'm going to go talk to her now before all my courage is gone." Aline said, grabbing her bag from the coat hanger in the hall, and making her way out the door.

Alec and Clary shared a smile before Aline turned around so she was facing them again, "Oh, and have a lovely Christmas." She said with a grin.

"You too." Alec and Clary replied in unison. And with that she was off down the stairs, and in the direction of Blackthorns Café.

"You ready to go?" Clary asked looking up at Alec.

"Yeah let's go." Alec said as he picked up his bag and made his way to the door, holding it open for Clary.

"Thank you." Clary smiled.

"You're welcome Fray."

6 HOURS LATER

"I hate flying." Clary whined as they waited for her bag. Alec's bag had already come out and Clary was beginning to get more and more annoyed.

"Would you have rather driven 18 hours?" Alec asked with a cheeky grin, to which Clary replied with a glare. "Isn't that your bag?" Alec laughed as Clary watched her bag disappear around the other side of the baggage carousel.

"This is why I hate flying." Clary muttered as she began to run around the other side of the conveyor belt. Alec laughed as he watched this little redhead push her way through the people to get to her bag.

"Come on, we just have to go through 'Nothing to Declare', then we can go home." Alec stated as he found Clary surrounded by people who were all taller than her. "You okay there?" Alec asked sarcastically.

"Can you give me a hand?" Clary asked as she tried to steady all of her bags.

"Of course." Alec said reaching out and taking her hand luggage, "Let's go, Izzy and Jace are waiting for us." Alec said making his way out of the terminal, with Clary following closely behind.

"Alec!" A boy, Clary recognised of Alec's wall of photos, shouted. _'Ah that must be his other brother.'_ Clary thought to herself.

"Max!" Alec shouted back, dropping his bags as his brother ran into his arms. Clary watched as Jace and Izzy began to make their way over to them. Izzy looked happy, but Jace looked kind of nervous.

Izzy ruffled Max's hair as he pulled back from the hug, "I thought you had soccer practise?" Alec asked, still crouched down so he was at eye-level with his brother.

"He did but we managed to get him out of it so he could come with us to pick you up." Izzy said, smiling down at her brothers.

Alec stood up pulling Jace and Izzy into a hug, "I missed you guys." He whispered into their ears.

Izzy pulled back from the hug, taking a step towards Clary, "I see you looked after my brother." She smiled.

"As promised." Clary laughed before pulling Izzy into a hug. Clary smiled over Izzy's shoulder where Jace was stood awkwardly. "Hey Jace." She mouthed.

"Hey." Jace whispered back with a huge smile, although he was smiling more to himself than to Clary.

When everyone was finished with their greetings, Jace began to speak, "Right, come on then, we haven't got long on the parking. Would you like some help with your bags?" Jace asked politely, and although Alec would have taken him up on the offer, he saw that Jace's question was directed at Clary.

"Err; no I think I'll be ok." Clary stated before reconsidering, "Actually, if you could help me carry them to the taxi rank, that'd be really helpful." Clary said smiling.

"What?" Jace asked, shocked, "Don't think we came all the way here just to pick Alec up." Jace laughed picking up one of Clary's bags.

"I live out of the city, and I don't want to put you guys out. I'll be fine honestly." Clary reassured, with a smile.

"Clary, we're not letting you get a taxi home alone." Izzy stated, although it was more like a demand.

"Honestly guys, it's fine." Clary said taking a step back from the group.

"It's best not to argue with Izzy you know." Max piped up from beside Alec.

"Right." Clary said in agreement, "But only if you're sure." Clary stated still kind of unsure.

"We're sure." Alec declared. "Now let's go before she changes her mind." Alec exclaimed which resulted in a light punch from Clary.

"The car's this way." Jace stated, turning to leave the airport with everyone following closely behind.

Clary smiled as she watched the way that Alec interacted with his siblings; it was nice to see such a close-knit family. It was something she used to know, but that was taken away from her years ago.

"Here we are." Izzy declared, stopping near a Mercedes SUV.

"Bloody hell." Clary whispered, "Nice car."

"It's my mom's." Alec stated, as he opened the boot and threw his bag into it. "Big family, big car." Alec explained further as he took Clary's bag out of Jace's hands, and tossing that into the boot as well.

"Are you sure about this?" Clary asked her voice uncertain. "My house is quite a bit out of the way of yours."

"Clary." Jace stated bluntly. "Not to sound stalkerish, but just give me your address so we can drive you home." Jace declared with a laugh.

"Okay, if you're sure." Clary said smiling, pulling open the door to the car and climbing inside, "4219 216th Street, Bayside, Queens." Clary stated, fastening her seatbelt.

"Sorry," Jace said as he climbed into the driver's seat, "I don't drive to Queens." Jace joked, and for a second, Clary almost believed him.

"Don't listen to him," Izzy laughed as she settled into the seat next to Clary, "We'll take you wherever you need to go." Izzy said as she finished helping Max buckle his seatbelt.

"Right lets go." Jace said, turning the ignition on and reversing out of the parking space.

Conversation flowed easily between them all; Clary learning things about Alec and his siblings that she had yet to learn. Izzy, although she was training to be a forensic pathologist, was a badass fashionista. Jace was an excellent pianist. Max was a huge fan of manga. And Alec was a big fan of archery, and not a bad shot with a bow either.

It wasn't long before Jace was pulling up in front of Clary's house, "Thank you so much for driving me home." Clary stated as she unbuckled her belt.

"See you soon." Izzy said as she pulled Clary into a hug.

"Bye Izzy, bye Jace and bye Max. It was very nice meeting you and, I hope to see you all soon. " Clary said, smiling at each of the lightwood siblings as she opened the door and climbed out of the car.

"Here let me help you with your stuff." Alec said as he hopped out of the car and walked round to the boot. Alec opened the boot and pulled Clary's bags out.

"Here you go." Alec said, placing Clary's bags down in front of her door, "I'll see you soon." Alec said with a smile.

"Your always welcome you know." Clary stated, smiling up at Alec.

"Thanks Fray." Alec said turning to walk down the stairs, "Oh, and at some point, I'm going to need your help."

"With what?" Clary asked with a laugh.

"My plan to get Magnus back, of course." Alec said with a cheeky grin, "I best get going; mom will expect us home soon."

"Bye Alec." Clary said, stepping forward and pulling Alec into a hug.

"Bye Clary." Alec whispered. Alec pulled back from the hug, smiling and turning to run back to his car.

Clary watched as Jace drove off before turning, pulling her house key out of her pocket and whispering to herself, "Home sweet home."

1 DAY LATER

Clary sighed as she looked out of her window, the wind was picking up and it was beginning to rain. There was a storm coming, and it wasn't going to be pretty. She hated being home, it reminded her of so many bad memories, and thinking of the storm that was coming just made it worse.

She made her way downstairs and into her kitchen, opening the fridge and pulling out one of the ready meals she had bought earlier in the day. She opened the packet and put the meal in the microwave as she pulled her phone out of her pocket to check the time.

"Shit." She whispered to herself as she saw the time that flashed across her screen _9:08pm._ Clary had spent her day shopping for food, clothes and Christmas presents, and now it was too late to be eating dinner but she was hungry, and so she was eating dinner anyway.

She sat down in front of the TV as she began to eat her dinner. It wasn't great, but to be perfectly honest, she couldn't be bothered to cook anything proper. She sunk down into her couch as she flicked a film onto her TV.

Clary shivered as she listened to the way the wind howled and the way the rain hit the window. As the credits began to roll on her TV she leant over the couch reaching for the curtain that covered the window; she pulled the curtain back and looked at the already apparent damage from the storm. Branches and leaves covering the floor, garbage cans rolling along the streets and the rubbish, that once filled them, flying around in the air. Clary was pulled from a loud banging noise coming from her hallway; she jumped away from the window, pulling the curtain back over the window. She stood up from the couch and made her way slowly into the dark hallway. She looked up at to see a figure standing behind it banging against the door with his fist.

 _'_ _Only an idiot would be out in this storm.'_ Clary thought to herself as she made her way closer to the door, she wasn't completely sure if she was going to open it or not. _'Don't open the door to some crazy person, in the middle of the night in the middle of a storm.'_ Clary continued to think to herself that was until she heard a voice coming from behind the door.

"Clary," the voice cried, "Please let me in." Clary gasped as she recognised the voice, diving forward and opening the door.

"My god." Clary gasped her eyes raking over the boy before her, his clothes were soaked through, his hair was completely messed up, and even though rain water covered his face, you could tell his eyes were puffy and red from tears. "Alec." She whispered.

"Help me."

 **Beta: shadow_writer** (ao3 account)

 **Hey guys, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know what you thought in the reviews. :)**


	16. Chapter 16

7 HOURS AGO

"I hate these things, Izzy." Alec whined, as he tried to do his tie in the mirror.

"What, ties, or the family meals?" Izzy asked, making her way over to her brother, taking the tie out of his hands, and tying for him.

Izzy, as always, looked absolutely stunning in a tight red cocktail dress, but, as for, Alec he wasn't as fashion forward and had to stick with a pair of faded black skinny jeans and a shirt that was probably a size to small. Oh, and a tie as well.

Izzy was finishing tying up Alec's tie when Jace came into the room, "Aw Alec, you still need your little sister to tie your tie for you." Jace mocked, receiving an annoyed glare from Alec. "What time is the meal anyway, I still need to get ready?" Jace continued, gesturing to his gym clothes.

"You've got an hour." Alec stated, pulling his sleeve up to look at his watch, "Meal starts at 5." He clarified pulling his sleeve back down.

"Ah shit." Jace mumbled, darting out of the room, along the hall and into his own room.

"Mom's going to have his neck if he's late to dinner." Izzy stated with a small chuckle as she took a seat on Alec's bed, "Everyone's coming to this dinner." Izzy continued, as she took her lipstick out of her bag, along with a compact mirror, and began to reapply her lipstick.

"Wait." Alec gasped, turning on his heels. "What do you mean everyone's coming?" Alec asked with a look of shock on his face.

"Did Mom not tell you?" Izzy asked raising her eyebrows to which Alec replied with a shake of his head, "Well, Uncle Benedict is flying up from Georgia with Gideon, Gabriel and Tatiana, and Grandma and Grandpa Lightwood are flying in from Ohio." Izzy smiled, "I can't believe Mom didn't tell you."

"Yeah well, I only got back yesterday." Alec sighed, "This meal is turning out to be more of a nuisance than I imagined."

"Don't be like that." Izzy declared looking up at her brother who had begun to pace the room. "You get on with Gideon, Gabriel and Tatiana."

"I know, but everyone else is so…" Alec began, struggling to find the right word.

"Pretentious, stuck up, irritating?" Izzy suggested with a laugh.

"Yeah." Alec laughed, "How long are they staying?" Alec asked.

"They're only staying for a few days," Izzy stated, "Think you can last that long?" Izzy questioned, raising her eyebrows at her brother, who just replied with a glare. "Come on." Izzy stated, standing up and taking her brothers hand, "We best be going, don't want to be late now do we?" Izzy asked with a laugh as she pulled Alec out of his room.

Alec followed his sister down into the living room of their apartment, "Ah there you are." Maryse said, standing from where she had been seated on the couch, "I was beginning to worry that you'd be late." She said making her way over to her children. "Where's Jace?" She asked in confusion.

"Getting ready, he'll be here soon." Izzy stated looking up at her mother.

"Go and tell him to hurry up, we can't be late." Maryse demanded with a stern look on her face, to which Izzy darted off, back in the direction of Jace's room.

"It's so nice to have you home Alexander." Maryse smiled, pulling her son into a hug, "I didn't know whether you'd come, considering this is the first time you've been home since you left." Maryse criticised in a disapproving manor.

"I'd like to be home more Mom, but it's difficult. You know what medicine degrees are like, and it's expensive." Alec justified.

"Hm." Maryse mumbled making her way back over to the couch. "I wonder where your siblings are up to." Maryse said, changing the subject.

"We're here." Jace announced from behind Alec. "Where's Max?" Jace asked, as he looked around the almost empty room.

"He went ahead with your father, now let's go. I really don't want to be late." Maryse said grabbing her bag and making her way to the door. Izzy and Alec shared glance, they could both tell that their Mom was already in a tense mood and it would get worse as the evening moved on.

They all piled into the car, and began on their way to the restaurant, when Maryse began to speak, "I want no antics tonight, okay!" She stated with a certain fierceness that scared all her children into silence, "Remember you're not Max's age, I want you all to act like responsible adults." She said, raising her eyebrows at Jace who was sitting in the passenger seat next to her.

"What?" He questioned, with his best innocent look.

"You know what I'm talking about Jace." She said, keeping her focus on the road.

"Oh, I remember that day when you…" Izzy began but what cut off by her mother who gave her an unimpressed look.

"That's enough, Isabelle." Maryse reprimanded, to which Izzy shrunk back in her seat. The rest of the car journey was spent in silence, and not the good kind of silence.

When they arrived Izzy was the first out of the car, desperate to get away from the tension that had grown in the car, but Alec and Jace weren't far behind her. As they made their way through the doors of the restaurant, Alec scanned the crowded room for a familiar face. And soon enough his glance landed on the beautiful green eyes of his younger cousin, Tatiana, and just like that all his worries for the evening vanished.

The four Lightwoods all made their way over to the table, and took their respective seats; Izzy sat down on one side of Tatiana, Alec on the other. Jace took his seat between Gideon and Gabriel, who was on Alec's other side. Maryse was last to take her seat, sitting down next to Max, who was now sandwiched between his parents, much to his dismay.

It was then when everyone had taken their seat that Grandpa Lightwood stood up, drink in hand, and began to speak, "I am so glad to be here today, with my wife," He said placing his free hand on his wife's shoulder, "With my children, and of course my grandchildren." He smiled looking around the table, "I just want to say how proud I am of you all. To a wonderful evening and a merry Christmas!" He finished, raising his glass and taking a sip of his drink, to which everyone did the same. After sitting back down, everyone continued with their own conversations, but as their meals arrived everyone sunk back into silence, enjoying the food that this expensive restaurant had served them.

Alec sighed, inhaling the smell of meat as he cut into his juicy and tender steak. It was so nice not to eat the cheap and shocking food him and Clary concocted in their barely equipped kitchen. Alec looked around the table to see if everyone else was enjoying their meal as much as he was. He looked across to Jace who was devouring his beef wellington. _'He must eat the same crappy college food as me then.'_ Alec thought to himself, causing a small smile to emerge on his face. Alec looked up at the rest of his family, they all looked happy and not just with their food, and that'

After having their plates taken away and ordering their desserts, everyone slipped back into their own conversations, "So Gabriel, how are things looking on the love front for you?" Izzy asked, taking a sip of wine from her glass.

"How do you think it's going?" Gabriel replied, raising his eyebrows at Izzy from across the table, "Well, what about you, you're not here with anyone?" Gabriel retorted.

"Just because I'm not here with anyone, doesn't mean I haven't got anyone." Izzy replied smoothly. This statement was enough to get almost everyone on the table's attention.

"Izzy, do you have a boyfriendddddd?" Max asked excitingly, elongating the word "boyfriend".

"No, I was just saying that I could have a boyfriend but that doesn't mean he has to be here." Izzy explained.

"So there's no one?" Maryse asked.

"Oh I didn't say that." Izzy laughed, before taking another sip from her glass.

"And what about you Alec? Jace was telling us before about some quite nice girls that are living in your dormitory. What were their names again?" Robert asked, directing his question to Jace. Alec glanced quickly at Jace across the table, but Jace didn't see it.

"Clary, Aline and Maia. They're really nice." Jace replied completely oblivious to Alec's glare.

"So Alec, is there anything there, with them I mean?" Robert asked, and as soon as the question left his lips Jace realised what was going on, and turned his gaze to Alec who looked absolutely terrified. "Well then." Robert pressed.

"No, there's nothing there, Maia and Aline are both in relationships, and Clary is my friend. She could never be more than that." Alec said, looking down at his plate.

"Why not is she, you know, disagreeable?" Maryse asked, raising her eyebrows.

"What? No!" Alec answered, completely shocked, "It's just that I don't, I can't look at her like that." By this point everyone was completely engrossed in listening to Alec's answer.

"Well if not her, there must be other girls you're interested in at your university Alec." Robert pressed.

"No, there isn't ok?" Alec began to shout, "OK! I can't look at any of them like that!" Alec was really shouting now, not even caring about the looks he was getting from people on the tables surrounding their own. However when he heard a gasp come from his siblings and his cousins, and he realised what he had said.

"What do you mean by that son?" Grandpa Lightwood asked with a sour look on his face.

Alec knew he was in too deep to get himself out of this mess and so he decided the only option was to be open and tell the truth, "I can't look at any girls that way, because I'm not attracted to them." Alec revealed in a quiet voice, too scared to even look up at his family.

"What?" Robert asked, but Alec knew that his father had understood him perfectly.

"I don't like girls, dad." Alec breathed, still scared to look at his father.

"Don't call me that. No son of mine could be like that." Robert spat.

"Dad!" Izzy shouted, completely horrified by the scene before her.

"Stay out of this Isabelle." Robert demanded before turning back to face Alec. "This is the last thing I need; do you really think I could want a _gay_ son?" Robert asked. "Look at me!" He shouted, everyone at the table jumped at his exclamation but no-one dared cross him, in fear of angering him further.

Alec's head shot up and everyone at the table could see that tears had already begun to roll down his cheeks, "You're going to do this here?" Alec asked, his voice reduced to a whisper.

"Yes I am." Robert stated bluntly. "How could you do this to us Alec, to our family?"

"Do what exactly?" Jace asked from across the table.

"Jace, I'll ask you nicely to stay out of this. Now Alec, do you really think this is fair; we've worked hard for our money and we've put you through school, and this is how you repay us?" Robert asked.

"It shouldn't matter." Alec whispered feebly, with tears still running down his cheeks.

"It does matter. Do you really think you'll ever be anything special now? You had potential and you through it away." Robert sighed.

Everyone gasped in shock as Benedict Lightwood began to speak, "Robert, I think that's enough."

"No it's not, you don't get a say in this Benedict." Robert hissed. "Leave." Robert demanded.

"What?" Alec asked confusion and sadness written across his face.

"I said leave." Robert shouted, catching the attention of the people around them, "I can't look at you, you abomination."

"Dad you can't do this!" Izzy cried, standing up from her chair joined by Jace who looked like he was ready to blow, but Robert remained firm in his declaration.

"Uncle Robert, this isn't fair." Gideon stated, also standing from his chair.

"You have no right to talk to me like that. I have made my decision." Robert hissed.

"Hey, don't you talk to my brother like that!" Gabriel and Tatiana shouted in unison, both standing from their seats to join almost half the table who were now stood up.

Alec, one of the few people still sitting, couldn't take it anymore; he stood up, violently pushing his chair back and running out of the door not even looking over his shoulder to gage his family's reaction.

The cold air of the night hit Alec harshly as Alec made his way out of the restaurant and into the dark, cold streets of New York. He could feel the wind picking up and the rain beginning fall against his cheek. He had no idea where he was going to go he just knew that he couldn't home, no matter how much he wanted to be there.

He thought of Magnus, and how much he would love to wrapped up in his arms now, how much he would love to be comforted, how much he would love to have that kind of love back again. However, he knew that wasn't a possibility, one reason was because he had no idea where in New York Magnus could be staying, and the second reason was that Magnus didn't seem to want to speak to him at all.

And so Alec began to run, he didn't know exactly where he was going but he had a vague idea of where he was heading. He just knew he had to get to the bridge, and then he'd know his way from there.

Alec's mind was clouded thinking about what had just happened. The harsh words his father had said to him replayed in his head making it harder to think clearly or run straight. Alec stopped in his tracks, resting against a lamppost to catch his breath. That's when he let it all go; let all the tears he had been trying to hold back fall. The tears on his face mixed with the rain from the imminent storm.

He knew he was getting weird looks from people around him, he knew what they were thinking. _What is this weirdo doing running around in the rain, crying his eyes out?_ But at that moment in time, he didn't care; his mind was too occupied with the events of the last few hours.

Alec began to run again, he didn't know how long he'd been running but he knew he must be close now. As he made his was down the familiar street, he reached the house he began to bang on the door. He didn't care if she was asleep, he needed help. His clothes were soaked through, he was freezing and his mind was pretty messed up.

He could see a figure begin to loom behind the door, "Clary, please let me in." Alec cried, praying she would recognise his voice as desperation filled his voice. That's when he saw the figure from behind the door dive forward to open the door.

"Alec." She whispered her face riddled with shock.

"Help me," Was all Alec managed out before Clary pulled him in from the rain.

 **Beta: shadow_writer** (ao3 account)

 **All I can say is I'm sorry. Please let me know what you thought in the reviews.**


	17. Chapter 17

"My god!" Clary gasped, slamming the door behind Alec. Alec's legs became weak, and he was so exhausted that he could barely stand anymore. He pressed his back against the wall, and sunk down until he was in a sitting position with his legs balled up against his chest.

Clary dropped to her knees beside Alec, and lifted her hand up to cup his cheek, "Alec," she whispered, "What happened?" When Clary didn't get a response, she pulled Alec closer to her until his head was resting on her shoulder, and that was it for Alec. That's when he lost it, he couldn't hold it in anymore. He began to cry; he began to cry like he hadn't cried before.

"Alec, please tell me what happened so I can help you." Clary pleaded.

"He didn't want me." Alec sobbed, not lifting his head from Clary's shoulder.

"Who didn't want you Alec?" Clary asked, her voice shaky, "Magnus?" She asked. She knew it was a long shot, she knew that Magnus wouldn't want to make the same mistake again, but it was the only idea she had.

She felt Alec shake his head as he began to sob again, "Alec, whatever it is, we can get through it. Please let me help you." Clary whispered, as tears began to roll down her cheek. She hated to see Alec like this.

"My dad, Clary." Alec sobbed, "My dad didn't want me."

"What do you mean?" Clary asked pulling back to look Alec in the eye.

"He found out, he found out I was gay." Alec cried, lifting his eyes to meet Clary's.

"I thought your family already knew." Clary whispered, to which Alec just began to shake his head and cry even harder.

"Jace and Izzy knew, but my dad only found out tonight and now he doesn't want me, Clary. He called me an abomination." Alec said between sobs.

"That son of a bitch." Clary breathed, "Alec you listen to me, okay?" She said, lifting Alec's chin with her finger so that their eyes met. "You are not an abomination, you are a wonderful human being and there is absolutely nothing wrong with you. So please do not listen to that monster."

Alec sniffled before nodding at Clary, "Okay." Clary whispered with a smile, to which Alec replied with a half-smile and although he tried for it to seem sincere, Clary could see through it.

"Right, come on then, we need to get you sorted out." Clary said, with a smile before standing and pulling Alec up with her. "I'll go get you some fresh clothes, while you go get a nice warm shower, okay?" Clary stated before making her way up the stairs and pulling Alec with her.

"Here you go." Clary said as she flicked the shower on, "There are towels in the cupboard."

"Thank you." Alec whispered, looking down at his feet, trying to hide the fact that tears were still rolling down his cheeks.

"You don't have to thank me. I mean you did it for me." Clary said, before turning to leave.

"What?" Alec asked in confusion.

"You may not have known this, but at the beginning of the year I was in a really bad place, you know, after my mom and all. But then you were there, and without you realising it you helped me through that tough time, and for that I will be eternally grateful." Clary said with a smile, "What's that quote again? Oh right, I remember. Every girl needs a guy best friend to help her laugh when she thinks she'll never smile again." Clary finished before turning and leaving the bathroom. Alec stood with a smile on his face; it was a sincere smile this time.

Alec stood for a minute, letting his thoughts consume him. He knew that he should just try and forget, push it to the back of his mind, but the words his father had spat at him were swirling around in his head. He was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of banging from above him.

Alec decided that it was probably best to actually get in the shower than to just let the water run, and so he peeled his wet clothes from his body and left them in a pile on the floor before stepping into the steaming hot water. He let the water fall over his body and he soon began to feel his skin begin to tingle with the heat off the water.

After just standing in the shower not really doing much, just letting his body heat up after being out in the harsh, bitter storm, he quickly grabbed some shampoo from the side of bath, and washed his hair before stepping out of the shower, grabbing a towel from the cupboard and wrapping it around his waist. Then he just sat on the edge of the bath, waiting for something, anything. He didn't know how long he'd been sat there before he heard a knocking on the door.

"Hey Alec, I have some dry clothes for you." Clary said through the door.

"Thank you." Alec said opening the door and taking the pile of clothes from Clary, "Are these your fa…?" Alec could bring himself to ask if these were Clary's father's clothes and so he hoped that Clary understood what he was asking.

"No, they're Luke's. He's a friend of my mother, he left them here when he was staying in summer, but he won't mind you borrowing them." Clary said with a smile before turning and leaving to allow Alec to change in peace.

"Okay thanks." Alec said before shutting the door to the bathroom, and pulling the clothes on. There was a pair of grey jogging bottoms, and an NYPD police shirt along with a pair of boxers and a pair of socks. When he had finally put the clothes on, he dried his hair using his towel. He then made his way back out into the hallway where Clary was leant against the wall, waiting for Alec.

"Hey, how you feeling now?" Clary asked as she stood up straight.

"I'm not cold anymore." Alec said chuckling lightly, although Clary knew that he was only trying to hide his real emotions.

"You know that's not what I meant." Clary said, making her way over to Alec and resting her hand on his shoulder.

"I know. I just feel like shit and I don't know what to do." Alec stated, looking down at his feet.

"Alec, the truth is that I don't know what is going to happen tomorrow. I could tell you that tomorrow you will wake up and everything is will be ok, but I don't know that. But what I do know is that tomorrow you will wake up and you will still be the most kind and loving person I've known in a long time. And one day you are going to stand up and be proud. I know this, and I may not know a lot of things, but I know this. I know that someday, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow but some day you are going to stand up and be proud to be you. And you won't care what your dad or anyone else has to say about you. And I know this because I have never been so proud to call someone my friend." Clary finished with a breath.

"That was one hell of a speech Fray." Alec stated. "Thank you."

"As I've said before, you don't have to thank me, but you're welcome anyway." Clary said with a smile. "Now I think it's time we get some sleep. I'll set up the guest room for you." Clary stated, before turning and making her way into one of the adjoining rooms, to which Alec followed.

"The sheets are already on the bed. I just thought I'd put the heating on in here." Clary said as she leaned over the radiator. "There we go!" Clary exclaimed. "Sleep well, Alec." Clary said standing up on her tiptoes and pulling Alec into a hug.

"I'll try to." Alec stated with a sad smile. Clary returned a half-smile before turning to leave the room. "Oh and Clary," Alec called, "Sleep well." Clary smiled and nodded before making her way out into the hallway and closing the door.

Alec climbed into bed, thankful that he actually had somewhere to stay. After everything that had happened today, Alec hadn't realised how exhausted he actually was. That was until his head hit the pillow and he was out cold, in the deepest sleep he'd had in a while.

Clary made her way into her own room, with a mixture of thoughts and emotions flying around in her head which she had no idea what to do with. Then something dawned on her, did anyone actually know where Alec was? Clary pulled out her phone from her back pocket and found the number that she hadn't used in weeks and began to text.

 _Clary to Jace: 1:03am_

 _'_ _Sorry to text you so late, but just wanted to let you know that Alec is safe with me.'_

Clary didn't really know whether the text was enough, but she sent it anyway because she knew that Jace would understand. Clary placed her phone down on her nightstand as she began to change out of her clothes and into her pyjamas. Just as she was about to go and brush her teeth her phone began to buzz. She picked the phone up and looked down at the screen.

 _Message received at 1:07am_

 _Jace to Clary:_

 _'_ _Thank god, we were out looking for hours before Robert made us go home. We had no idea where he was, I'm so glad he was with you.'_

Clary looked down at the text and all she felt was hatred towards that man. That man that called his own son an abomination in front of his family and in front of a restaurant full of people. If anyone was an abomination it was him. Clary was about to be lost in her thoughts when she realised she still needed to reply to Jace.

 _Clary to Jace: 1:08am_

 _'_ _I know that man is your father, but right now all I want to do is punch him in the face. But seeing as though that is not an acceptable thing to do, I'll keep Alec safe and warm instead.'_

Clary hit send and hoped that Jace wouldn't be offended by what she had said, but when she received a reply only seconds later she knew she hadn't been wrong.

 _Jace to Clary: 1:08am_

 _'_ _I'm afraid you're going to have to get in line for that.'_

Clary was about to reply to the text when another one came through.

 _Jace to Clary: 1:09am_

 _'_ _Oh and thanks again for looking after Alec, you know I'd be there if I could.'_

 _Clary to Jace: 1:10am_

 _'_ _No thanks needed. And as I said to Alec, you and your family are always welcome here, excluding your father of course.'_

 _Jace to Clary: 1:10am_

 _'_ _You are one special girl, always looking out for us Lightwoods and expecting nothing in return.'_

Clary couldn't help but blush a bright pink when she read that text, she had no idea how to reply to it but she knew she had to.

 _Clary to Jace: 1:11am_

 _'_ _Why don't you come over tomorrow? You know to see Alec, make sure he's okay and that.'_

 _Jace to Clary: 1:12am_

 _'_ _Sounds good, I'll see you then. But right now I need my beauty sleep, looking this good requires the proper care.'_

Clary rolled her eyes as she read the last text. Alec had warned her before about how vain Jace was, and now she was experiencing it first-hand.

 _Clary to Jace: 1:13am_

 _'_ _Goodnight Jace.'_

She replied before plugging her phone in, putting on the bedside cabinet, climbing into bed and falling asleep after what had been one of the most stressful nights she'd had in a while.

 **Beta: gracie-the-shadow-writer**

 **Hey guys, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Unfortunately the next chapter won't be posted for a couple of weeks, because I'm going camping without any WiFi (don't know how I am going to survive but okay) , but it should be up after i get back.**

 **Please let me know what you thought of this chapter in the reviews.**

 **Bash4102 xx**


	18. Chapter 18

When Alec woke the next morning, his head felt groggy and he had a blocked nose. He sat up in bed and looked around at his surroundings. It wasn't a place he recognised, but as the events of the previous night came flooding back to him, he remembered where he was and why he was here.

Reluctantly, Alec pulled the duvet off him and swung his legs out of the bed. He reached over to the bedside table to where his phone was sitting, and clicked the home button to try and check the time. But no matter how hard he tried, and no matter how many times he pressed the home button, nothing happened. Alec guessed that it was either dead or broken. Either way he wasn't going to able to use it at this moment in time.

He stood up from the bed, and made his way out of the room and down the hallway along to the stairs. As he made his way down the stairs, he could hear the faint sound of Clary's singing, and the smell of a cooked breakfast, coming from the kitchen. A half smile crossed his face as he leant against the doorframe, "Morning." Alec croaked.

Clary jumped, almost dropping the spatula that was in her hand, "Morning, I didn't realise you had gotten up." Clary said as she turned around to face Alec. "I was going to come and wake you up soon anyway, breakfast, well lunch, is almost ready."

"Smells good." Alec said as he took a seat at her kitchen table.

"Thanks." Clary replied with a smile before continuing to potter around the kitchen. After a couple of minutes of Clary cooking, or what just seemed to Alec as Clary clattering around her kitchen, but he didn't mind really, it was nice to have his mind taken of the previous night's events.

"I mean, it's not Blackthorn's, but I tried my best." Clary said as she placed a plate of breakfast down in front of him.

"I can assure you that it is probably better than what Izzy used to make me." Alec said with a chuckle.

They ate in silence for a couple of minutes before Clary spoke up again, "I hope you don't mind, but I texted Jace last night and told him you were here."

"You have Jace's number?" Alec asked with a cheeky grin on his face.

Clary rolled her eyes, "That wasn't the point I was trying to make."

"I know." Alec smiled, "And of course it's alright, I would've done it myself if my phone actually turned on."

"Right, of course. He asked if he and Izzy could come over today, and I had no reason to think that you wouldn't want to see them, so I said that it was fine." Clary explained.

"When are they getting here?" Alec asked, and as if by magic, the doorbell rang.

"That must be them, I'll go get it." Clary said as she stood from the table and made her way into the hall. She opened the door expecting to find Jace and Izzy but instead finding a woman about her mother's stood in a pantsuit and with a very superior demeanour.

"Jocelyn." She whispered as she looked up at Clary.

"No, sorry you must be looking for my mother." Clary said.

"No, it's my mistake. You must be Clarissa." The woman said.

"Clary, but yes that's me. How can I help you?" Clary said with a smile.

"I'm looking for my son. I was told I'd find him here." The woman said, growing impatient.

"Oh, you must be Maryse. Come in." Clary said gesturing inside her house, but just as Maryse was about to step into Clary's house, Alec came up behind Clary.

"Mom, what are you doing here?" He questioned.

"I'm here to bring you home, instead of having you squatting here." Maryse said with a slightly disgusted look on her face.

"I can't go home, not now. I can't be around him." Alec said, looking down at his feet.

"I understand that son, but I spoke to him and he said it was willing to admit it was a mistake." Maryse said with a thin smile.

"I'm sorry but calling someone an abomination is not a mistake." Clary chimed in, anger bubbling in her veins.

"I don't think he called A…." Maryse started, but was suddenly cut off by Alec.

"Yes he did. His words have been playing over in my mind all night. And I am willing to bet that he didn't admit it was a mistake and this is all just you trying to keep up appearances. I know how much you care about your reputation." Alec was almost shouting by this point.

"Alec, my reputation is nothing compared to my children and their happiness. I just don't want this to be the way we deal with it. So come home, we can talk about it like mature adults." Maryse said with a soft smile on her face.

Alec was about to open his mouth to answer when Clary spoke. "No."

"What do you mean no?" Maryse asked with a look of confusion written right across her face.

"I am not letting Alec go anywhere near that man." Clary stated with a determined look on her face.

"And who are you to decide? Do you think you have any power here?" Maryse asked.

"I don't need power." Clary said, her determination still shining.

"Clary's right." Alec said, to which he received a look of horror from his mother.

"Wh-wha-what about Christmas?" Maryse stumbled for her words but managed to ask.

"I'll come for Christmas." Alec stated. "I'll come for Max and Jace and Izzy, and because he won't be there, but after that I don't want anything to do with him until he learns to accept me. Okay?" Alec finished.

"Okay, I'll accept that." Maryse said with a displeased look on her face. Just as Maryse was about to turn around and head back to her car, another car pulled up and out hopped Jace and Izzy with panicked looks on their faces.

"We tried to stop her." Jace breathed as he reached the steps leading up to Clary's porch.

"Once she's got an idea in her head, there's no stopping Maryse Lightwood." Izzy said, taking her place next to Jace.

"I thought I told you two to stay at home." Maryse said turning to face the younger Lightwood's.

"You did, but did you really think we'd listen." Izzy said giving Maryse an unimpressed look, and taking the two steps up to the porch in her stride and pulling her brother into a hug. "I love you Alec."

"I love you too." He whispered into her hair.

Clary looked over Maryse's to see Jace stood there looking thoughtfully, when she had an idea. "Hey I've just made breakfast, there should be enough to go around, if you'd like." Clary suggested.

"As much as I'd love to try your food," Maryse began, with an insincere smile, "I have things that I need to do."

"There's no need to be rude." Jace stated as he made his way up to the porch, "And I would love some breakfast."

Clary smiled before gesturing to Jace to come inside, "You coming Izzy?" Clary asked, to which Izzy nodded.

"Breakfast sounds great." Izzy said with a smile, she turned to follow Clary and Jace expecting Alec to follow, but when he didn't move she turned around on her heels again. "Alec?" She asked.

"I'll be there in a minute Iz, go ahead." He said not turning to face her; she nodded and made her way into the kitchen.

"Mom, I don't know why you felt the need to talk to Clary like that, but please don't do it again. I don't think you understand how much she has done for me." Alec explained.

"I'm sorry for the way I acted, but I just want my son home with his family where he belongs, not across in Queens with some crazy red-headed girl you met a couple of months ago." Maryse defended.

"At least she cares." Alec stated flatly.

"I care Alec, you're my son. I care about your happiness." Maryse said as she reached out her hand to cup Alec's cheek.

"Then don't make me be around a man who thinks of me as an abomination." Alec said as tears began to fill his eyes.

"We'll change his mind, Alec. We will." Maryse said with a determination in her voice that Alec had never heard before. "Now as I said," Maryse began, pulling her hand away from Alec's face to wipe away her own tears, "I have things that need to be done."

"I love you Mom." Alec said, pulling his mother into a hug.

"I know son. I love you too." Maryse pulled back smiling, "Now go on, enjoy your breakfast." And with that she was off, heading back towards her car, leaving Alec alone on the porch.

"You ok, buddy?" Said a voice that broke the silence that Alec was stood in.

"Yeah." Alec said turning to face his brother, "I'll be fine."

"Good, because I need you to be fine." Jace said, standing up tall with a smile on his face.

"Oh, and why's that?" Alec asked.

"I need your help getting Clary to like me." Jace revealed.

"Oh and here I thought you were going to spout some insightful shit about brothers, but no you want my help getting the girl." Alec rolled his eyes with a laugh as he stepped forward and wrapped one arm around Jace's shoulder, "Real classy, Jace, real classy."

And with that, they strode off in the direction of the kitchen. And although not everything was sorted at this moment, Alec was content with just being around the people he cared about. He only wished there was someone else sitting around the breakfast table with them, someone who could really make the pain go away.

Beta: gracie-the-shadow-writer

 **Hey guys! Sorry this chapter took so long to come, but I've been really busy lately with exams and all that, but thankfully now that exams are over I will be able to update more frequently.**

 **I really hope you enjoyed this chapter, let me know what you though in the reviews.**

 **Bash4102 xx**


	19. Chapter 19

Several hours had passed since Jace and Izzy had left, leaving Alec and Clary alone once again. Not that they minded being alone, but after spending the afternoon around the other loud and energetic Lightwood siblings, everything just seemed a whole lot quieter now.

"You know, they could've stayed. I have the space." Clary said as she began to tidy up the kitchen after procrastinating over it for the past couple of hours.

"I know, but if they didn't go home, my mom would've thought you were trying to turn us all against her." Alec said, picking up one of the pots and passing it over to Clary, who had now begun washing things in the sink.

"I like your family." Clary declared before pausing to rephrase her statement, "I like most of your family."

"I like my family too." Alec said as a smile began to rise on his face, "You should come and meet my cousins at some point; they've come up for the holidays."

"Sounds like fun." Clary stated with a smile. "What are your cousins called again?" Clary asked, grabbing another pan to wash.

"Well, there's Gideon, who's the oldest, then there's Gabriel, and Tatiana is the youngest," Alec stated, "You'd like them."

"Well, if they're anything like you, Jace and Izzy, I'm sure I'll love them." Clary said with a smile as she began to dry the dishes she had washed.

Alec grabbed another tea towel from the counter, and began to dry dishes with Clary. It was then that Alec remembered the question that he was going to ask Clary before, but forgot to due to the chaos of the morning. "Hey, Clary do you have anything planned for Christmas?"

Clary stopped, still, barely moving, like she was having a horrific flashback of sorts. "Clary?" Alec asked, confused by the scene before him.

Clary shook herself out of her trance and turned to face Alec, "Sorry, I was kind of lost in my thoughts. I don't really know what I'm going to do to be honest. I'll go see my mum in the morning, and then I might drive upstate to see Luke and Amatis. I was going to fly over and stay with my friends for Christmas, but I haven't spoken to them in a while, so I decided against it." Clary said as she returned to drying the dishes.

"Oh right, you could come celebrate with us you know." Alec said.

Clary shook her head, "No, I couldn't, it's your family celebration and I wouldn't want to intrude."

"You wouldn't be intruding." Alec stated.

Clary raised her eyebrows, "I would just love to see your mothers face if I showed up at your house for Christmas."

"Okay, maybe my mom wouldn't be too pleased," Alec stated before muttering under his breath, "But I'm sure Jace would love to see you."

"What was that?" Clary asked with a knowing smile, as she tried to hide the blush that had risen on her cheeks.

"Nothing." Alec chuckled. "No, but really, the thing I was going to ask you, are you free on Christmas Eve?"

"Yes, probably." Clary stated.

"Good, because I have a plan." Alec stated, with a mischievous grin on his face.

"And this plan involves what exactly?" Clary asked with a laugh.

"You and your amazing art skills." Alec said.

"Okay then, you better walk me through this plan so we can get started." Clary said, reflecting Alec's mischievous grin.

"It's actually pretty simple to be honest; I just want you to paint something." Alec said, placing the tea towel down on the counter.

"Oh, simple is it?" Clary questioned raising her eyebrows, "And what do you want me to paint?"

"A picture." Alec said with a grin.

"Really helpful, thanks for that beautiful gem of knowledge." Clary stated sarcastically.

"I want you to paint a picture of me and Magnus." Alec stated, the mischievous grin replaced by a certain seriousness.

"Okay, that I can do." Clary said with a smile, "But why do I need to be free on Christmas Eve if I'm just painting a picture?" Clary asked.

"Okay, maybe I lied. There is one more thing I would like you to do, if you don't mind?" Alec asked, waiting for Clary's response, to which Clary just nodded allowing Alec to continue. "My friend Raj owns a bar downtown, and I was hoping that you would be able to get Magnus there."

Clary raised her eyebrows, "And how do you expect me to do that?" Clary asked.

"You'll figure it out." Alec grinned, as he reached into the fruit bowl, pulling out an apple and taking a big bite.

"Oh will I?" Clary questioned, "And why can't you get him there?"

"I could, but I need to set up." Alec said, taking another bite from the apple.

"Set up for what?" Clary asked.

"Oh, you'll see." Alec declared, as he took a seat and the kitchen table.

"Wait, what, so I'm not allowed to know what you're planning apart from a painting and a bar that your friend owns?" Clary asked, with a bemused look on her face.

"Mh-hm." Alec said with a chuckle.

"Okay, fine!" Clary puffed, and plonked herself down on one of the kitchen stools, but it wasn't long until she let out a chuckle. "You know what, I'm feeling inspired, I'll go start on that painting you want." Clary stated as she stood up from the stool.

"You don't even know which picture I want you to paint." Alec said, with a confused look on his face.

"Oh, I know which picture you want me to paint." Clary stated with a knowing smile.

"How?" Alec asked, the confused look still painted across his face.

"Call it a best friend's intuition." Clary said over her shoulder as she made her way out of the kitchen.

"So just to make sure which picture are you going to paint?" Alec asked, standing from where he was seated at the kitchen table and following Clary out into the hall.

"Do you not trust me?" Clary asked as she started to mount the stairs.

"Of course I trust you, I just want to make sure, that's all." Alec stated.

"It's the photo of you and Magnus stood under the Eifel Tower." Clary stated as she stopped on the stairs to turn and face Alec. "C'est une très belle photo et j'aimerais le peindre." Clary said, attempting a French accent.

"What does that mean?" Alec asked.

"You're telling me that you spent months in France and you can't understand what 'une belle photo' means?" Clary asked.

"I was never very good at French." Alec declared, with a laugh

"It means it's a very beautiful photo and I would love to paint it." Clary clarified.

"And anyway, since when could you speak French?" Alec asked.

"They taught it at my school. When they told me I had to choose a language, it was that or German so…" Clary said with a small chuckle.

"Oh right." Alec said, and just as Clary turned to continue up the stairs there was a knock at the door. "I'll get it." Alec stated as he took a couple of strides towards the door. He pulled it open and looked at the man stood before him.

"Lightworm." The man scoffed, and even though Clary couldn't see the man's face she recognised the voice immediately, the voice of the man she thought of as a brother.

"Will." Clary breathed, as both the men before her turned to face her, "What are you doing here?" Clary asked excitedly as she bounded down the stairs jumped forward into Will's arms.

At first Will looked shocked, but it wasn't long until he wrapped his arms around Clary's waist with his head pressed into her hair.

"You're a real gentlemen, you know that, Will?" A girl with a faint welsh accent said from behind Will.

"Cecy!" Clary shrieked as she pulled away from the hug, and dived out of the door into the arms of a girl who was waiting at the foot of the porch.

The girl before Clary dropped the bags that were in her hands, and pulled Clary into a hug, burying her head in Clary's shoulder, "I've missed you. We were wondering if we could stay for a while, it's been way too long." She whispered.

"Of course you can stay." Clary whispered back to her friend, a friend that over the years had become a sister to her. After what seemed like hours of just hugging her old friend, Clary pulled back and turned to face the two boys before her. Alec looked completely confused and Will had a scowl on his face.

"Alec?" The girl that Clary had referred to as Cecy asked, as she pulled back from the hug.

"Cecily." Alec said, with a complete look of confusion on his face. "What are you doing here?" He asked.

"We're visiting Clary." Cecily stated simply, "What are you doing here?" Cecily asked.

Before Alec had the chance to answer, Clary interrupted, "What the hell is going on here, how do you two know each other?"

"They're Magnus's best friends." Alec clarified, "How do you know them?" Alec asked.

"Remember when I told you about those friends that became like a second family to me, well…" Clary said as she gestured towards the two siblings stood beside her.

"How do you know him?" Will asked, as he glared at Alec.

"We met at uni; he's staying with me for a bit." Clary stated, "Have you got a problem with that?" Clary asked.

"No we don't." Cecily replied as she picked up the bags that were at her feet and carried them through the open door.

"Well, actually, I do have a problem with it." Will said as he crossed his arms across his chest.

"Stop being so childish, and get the rest of your stuff from the car." Cecily demanded.

"No, you know what he did." Will argued as he pointed at Alec.

"And what did I do?" Alec asked looking slightly confused, but also slightly angry, like he knew what was coming.

"You left him, you left Magnus!" Will exclaimed.

"It wasn't a choice." Alec retorted before storming back through the door and up the stairs in Clary's house, along to the room he had been staying in.

"Will." Clary sighed, "I love you but you're wrong."

"What?" Will questioned.

"Magnus didn't tell you the full story because he was scared that you would get annoyed at him." Cecily explained.

"Why would I get annoyed at him?" Will asked.

"Because there's a reason that Alec left, and as he said it wasn't his choice. In fact, it was Camille's fault." Cecily continued to explain.

"That bitch." Will muttered under his breath.

"Well, she convinced Magnus that no-one would ever love him and that eventually Alec would leave him, so he decided that it would be better for him to leave Alec before Alec could leave him." Cecily said, as she finished her explanation.

"Wait, so I was horrible to the Lightworm for nothing?" Will asked.

"Will, come inside, and maybe, if you call him by the right name, he might speak to you. He is actually quite a forgiving person you know." Clary said with a smile. "Now go and apologise, so I can enjoy having my family over for Christmas."

"Okay," Will stated, "I'm so glad we're spending Christmas together." Will finished, before heading off up the stairs in the direction of the room Alec was staying in.

"Oh Cecy, we've got work on our hands with those two," Clary laughed.

"I know," Cecy laughed, "But we'll think about that later, now I just want to relax."

"Sounds like a plan." Clary stated, as she shut the door and made her way into the living room with Cecily following closely behind her.

beta: gracie-the-shadow-writer

 **Hey guys! I just wanted to say a big thank you for all the lovely reviews I have been getting of my recent chapters, it means so much to me to know that people enjoy what I write. And so, I hope you enjoyed this chapter, please let me know what you thought of it in the reviews.**

 **Thanks for reading... Bash4102**


	20. Chapter 20

"Morning, Will." Clary said as she looked up from her book.

"Morning, Clary." Will replied as he walked into the living and plonked himself down on the couch next to Clary, "What are you reading?" He asked as he laid his head on her shoulder.

"A book." Clary replied sarcastically.

Will raised an eyebrow, "I got that much, which book are you reading?" Will asked.

"A Tale of Two Cities." Clary replied simply as she picked up her mug of hot coffee up off the coffee table, and took a sip.

"I love that book." Will stated.

"You read?" Clary asked, clearly surprised.

"Yes, why do you find that so hard to believe?" Will asked, raising his head from Clary's shoulder to look her in the eye.

"Well, the Will I remember was too busy gallivanting around London to have time to read a book, but hey, maybe you've changed." Clary said as she continued to read.

"I have, I'm a changed man." Will stated confidently.

"And what was it that brought around this change, may I ask?" Clary asked in her best attempt to be polite.

"A tall, dark haired girl with the most beautiful grey eyes." Cecily stated as she made her way into the room. Will jumped as his sister made her way across to him and Clary.

"I didn't see you there sis." Will chuckled.

"That was the point." Cecily stated with a grin, as she took a seat opposite Clary and Will.

"I want to hear more about this tall, dark haired girl with the most beautiful grey eyes." Clary said, becoming more and more intrigued with each second that passed.

"Her name is Tessa Gray." Will revealed, looking down into his lap, not wanting to make eye contact with either of the girls.

"And?" Clary pressed.

"A couple of months ago I was out shopping for Cecily's birthday present, and I saw her sitting in a café reading that book. She looked so beautiful, and so intrigued and interested by it that I just had to read it. In fact, I bought it that day and read it overnight." Will confessed.

"That's so unlike you Will, you used to be scared of love." Clary stated, with a look of disbelief on her face.

"I know. I went back the next day, in the hopes that she'd be there." Will continued.

"Was she?" Clary asked in anticipation.

Will nodded, as a smile rose on his face. It was one of those smiles that you can't help, one of those smiles that fills you with a fuzzy feeling that you can't describe, as you remember the reason you're smiling in the first place.

"Oh Will!" Clary exclaimed as she pulled him into a hug, "I am so happy for you!" Clary stated excitedly. "Then what happened? Come on, tell me!" Clary demanded.

"I offered to buy her a drink and we started talking and you know things just progressed from there." Will said, with pink tainted cheeks.

"Oh, Cecy, look at him, isn't he so cute?" Clary squealed, to which Cecily smiled and nodded.

"Hey!" Will protested, "Enough of that."

"We're just happy for you." Cecily defended.

"Hey Will, you know how you have this new found understanding and love of well love, maybe you could help me." Clary suggested.

"What, are you on the prowl?" Will asked, raising his eyebrow suggestively.

"Now, there's the Will we know and love." Cecily breathed.

"No, I don't want you help with that, but I do want your help with Alec." Clary said.

"You can't seriously be asking us to help Alec move on right?" Will asked.

"No, no, no, nothing like that," Clary began, "But Alec has a plan and I could use your help."

"Has a plan for what?" Cecily asked.

"I'm not too sure but I know that he wants me to get Magnus to a bar that his friend owns on Christmas Eve. I was perfectly willing to do this but, one I have no idea where Magnus is staying, and two I'm not sure that he would listen to me." Clary explained.

"He's in Brooklyn." Will stated, "Although I don't know why I should help the Lightworm." Will proceeded, with a laugh.

"I thought we were over this." Clary said, with a sigh.

"My loyalty lies with Magnus." Will defended.

"And surely, if you really loved Magnus, you'd want him to be happy." Clary stated, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, you got me there Fray." Will said, looking down as if he was reflecting on something.

"So you'll help me?" Clary asked, suddenly quite excited by the thought.

"Yes we'll help you." Cecily stated from across the room, as a smile rose on her face, "Just tell us what to do."

"All you have to do is convince Magnus to come to the bar on Christmas Eve. It would've been simple but after everything that happened a couple of months ago, Magnus hasn't wanted to speak to Alec or any of us for that matter." Clary explained.

"Ah so that's what that was." Will sighed.

"That's what what was?" Clary asked, slightly confused.

"Magnus phoned me about 2 months ago. He was all over the place, he was crying and shouting, but he wouldn't tell me specifically what had happened. I just assumed that Camille had got inside his head again, I tried to help but he was having none of it." Will explained.

"That's part of the reason we came actually, we wanted to make sure he was alright." Cecily clarified, looking at Clary who looked less confused than before.

"I've tried, believe me. I've tried to make sure he's alright." Everyone was slightly shocked by the Alec's voice as he entered the room. "But as Will said, he was having none of it." Alec finished as he sat down on the couch next to Cecily.

"Good morning, Alec." Clary said with a smile.

"Good morning." Alec said returning the smile.

"When are you going to see him, anyway?" Clary asked, as she turned to face Will.

"I'm not sure; ask Cecy, she's the organised one." Will said, shrugging his shoulders and looking over to Cecily for help.

"Well, we have plenty of time to go. Maybe you could come with us Alec, to try and sort things out." Cecily suggested with a kind smile.

"I don't think that would work out well, he seems to be annoyed at me recently." Alec explained.

Cecily nodded and smiled in turn at Alec and then to Clary, "Well, then if you two don't mind, I think we'd like to see Magnus today." Cecily stated with a nervous smile.

"Of course." Clary said with a smile, "It's not up to us what you do, and as you said we have plenty of time."

"Okay then, I need to go get dressed into something more suitable." Cecily stated with a laugh as she looked down at her Harry Potter pyjamas. "I don't think Magnus would approve." Cecily joked as she stood up and made her way out of the room, closely followed by Will who stood, patted Clary on the head, smiled and left the room.

"You had to tell them about the plan?" Alec muttered from across the room.

"Whether you like it or not, they are going to help us." Clary stated with a stern face, "They've got more chance of getting Magnus to the bar than we have." Clary justified.

"Fair enough." Alec sighed. "What are your plans for the day, anyway?"

"I've got a painting to paint, haven't I?" Clary asked with a cheeky grin.

About an hour and a half later Will and Cecily Herondale were making their way across the state of New York, in an attempt to try and find the building that one of their oldest friends resided in.

"My god Will, why is this city so complicated?" Cecily complained, as she tried to understand the map on her phone.

"You know, it's not that different from London." Will stated looking up at the big city.

"Yes, except I've lived in Wales most of my life, so it's still a big change." Cecily clarified, looking up at a street sign.

"Come on Cecy, I think it's down this way." Will said taking Cecily's arm and pulling her along the pavement.

The pair stopped in front of a large skyscraper, "This looks like a place Magnus would live." Cecily breathed with laugh.

"Too right." Will replied as the pair made their way through the huge double doors of the apartment building. After making their way up 14 floors, they finally reached Magnus' apartment.

Cecily reached up and knocked on the door of what they hoped was Magnus' apartment.

A few moments later the door opened, revealing a very tired looking Magnus, "Well, if it isn't my favourite Welsh people, here to wake me up at such an early hour."

"It's 12:30, Magnus." Cecily stated.

"Well then you better come inside." Magnus said with a smile.

beta: gracie-the-shadow-writer

 **Hey guys,**

 **Sorry that it took so long for this new chapter, I really hope you enjoy it. Please let me know what you thought in the reviews.**

 **Bash4102**


	21. Chapter 21

Over the next few days Will and Cecily spent their days between Clary's house in Queens and Magnus' apartment in Brooklyn. And although they didn't mind the 50 minute train ride or the occasional lift from Clary, they would've preferred for Magnus and Alec to make up, so they didn't have to keep going backwards and forwards across the state of New York.

These days were not exactly smooth for Clary and Alec either. Clary had a painting to paint, and it had to be perfect, it just had to be.

And well, Alec had a whole plan that had to be executed perfectly, and that meant that he had a lot of things to sort out first. He knew what he was going to do, he'd known that for months it was just the details he was focussing on now. Now he was stressing. He was stressing that something would go wrong or that god forbid it could al just end in rejection. Alec sat on the bed, spiralling deeper and deep into his thoughts, his mind going a hundred miles a minute, when he was pulled from his thoughts by a loud ringing sound coming from the bed side cabinet. He looked down at his phone and checked the caller ID before answering the call. It was Jace.

"Hey Jace." Alec breathed, as though he was relieved that someone had finally pulled him from thinking about all the worst case scenarios that could happen.

"Well you sound like a ray of sunshine." Jace joked, not knowing whether it was the right time to make jokes or not.

"Just thinking, you know." Alec stated as he tapped his fingers against his leg.

"Thinking about what?" Jace asked, a growing concern in his voice. Jace knew that the last few months had been rough for Alec and he didn't want him going back to that place he had been in after the breakup. He couldn't let that happen to his brother, not again.

"Christmas Eve." Alec stated bluntly. Not in a mean way, but in a way that meant Jace knew something wasn't right.

"What's happening on Christmas Eve?" Jace asked, not knowing what the answer would be.

"Oh shit!" Alec exclaimed, "I forgot to tell you."

"Forgot to tell me what?" Jace asked, more confused than concerned now.

"I need you and Izzy to come to Raj's bar on Christmas Eve." Alec explained.

"Is that it? You're not planning anything stupid?" Jace questioned.

"Well it might be stupid, but I guess we'll have to find out on the night." Alec stated. "Oh and one more thing, could you possibly do me a favour?" Alec asked.

"Of course, anything for my brother." Jace stated and although Alec couldn't see it, Jace smiled. It felt so good that he could finally do something to help Alec instead of just watching him in pain and saying it was going to be okay.

"Can you play the piano for me?" Alec asked.

"What right now?" Jace asked slightly confused. He knew that Alec like to hear him play but he never really outright asked him.

"No, not right now, on Christmas Eve." Alec explained.

"Yeah, anything for you buddy. I'll play after whatever we're doing at Raj's."

"Well, that's the thing; I want you to play in Raj's." Alec said, his pitch rising slightly. He knew Jace didn't often play in public, but he was hoping that just this once he would.

"Alec you know I don't play in front of crowds." Jace breathed sharply.

"Yeah I know." Alec sighed, "it's fine honestly. I'll just use Raj's speakers."

"You're singing aren't you?" Jace guessed.

Alec made a vague "mh-hm" noise and began to nod, even though he knew that Jace couldn't see him.

"Well maybe just this once." Jace exclaimed. He never played in public, it was his escape, something for him. But hey, it's what you do for family, you help them even if that means putting yourself out. "Just text me the song and I'll see if I know it. If not I'll learn it for you." Jace continued.

"Thank you so much Jace. It means so much to me." Alec stated, a hint of excitement radiating through his voice. "I'll see you then."

"Text me the details and I'll see you there." Jace said.

"Will do. Bye." Alec said before taking the phone away from his ear and pressing the end call button.

And hey maybe his plan would work out after all.

* * *

CHRISTMAS EVE

"Clary I don't know I can do this." Alec breathed anxiously.

"What do you mean you can't do this? Alec your plan is flawless." Clary said as she adjusted Alec's tie. "Just think about what you'll get out of doing this."

Alec never intended to say it out loud but the word just slipped out of his mouth as quiet as a whisper, "Magnus."

"Alec you have no reason to worry, I know you love him and that he loves you. You just have to have to courage to go out there and save your love!" Clary exclaimed.

"When did you get so wise Fray?" Alec asked with a smile.

"I've always been wise, you just haven't noticed it." Clary stated, trying to hide her grin.

"Oh really?" Alec asked with a questioning smile.

Clary finished adjusting Alec's tie and made a vague "mh-hm" sound and tried to hide her knowing smile as she made her way out of the room, chuckling to herself.

Clary made her way down the stairs where Will and Cecily were waiting by the front door.

"Clary, you look beautiful." Cecy breathed as she looked at Clary.

"Thank you." Clary stated with a huge smile on her face as she looked herself up and down. "You don't look too bad yourself." Clary returned.

"Oh yeah, it's fine, I know I look beautiful. No one needs to tell me." Will stated sarcastically.

"Will, you're looking very beautiful tonight." Clary said with a laugh, as she made her way over to him and tapping him on the cheek.

"Thanks. That's the look I was going for." Will said with a chuckle.

The trio continued to talk in the hallway, until the stairs started to creak, signalling that Alec was ready.

"Wow!" Clary exclaimed. "You clean up well!"

"Thanks Fray." Alec stated with a smile on his face.

It was at this point that both Will and Cecy turned to face Alec.

"Bloody hell." Cecily breathed, her Welsh accent showing more than usual. "I can see why Magnus liked him so much." Cecily whispered to Will and Clary.

"Yeah, he looks good." Will stated, to which both Clary and Cecy turned to face him and began to laugh.

"What?" Will asked which made them laugh even harder.

"What's so funny?" Alec asked with a smile on his face.

"Believe me, you don't want to know." Clary said between laughs.

"Will thinks you're hot!" Cecy burst out. "I'm sorry I couldn't keep it in." Cecily breathed out between laughs.

"What? I never said that!" Will defended, a blush rising on his cheeks.

"Thanks Will, it really means a lot." Alec said with a grin as he patted Will on the shoulder. "But you're not really my type." Alec whispered, to which Will blushed even more and the girls tried to hold their laughter in.

"Right we should stop admiring each other and actually get going. We wouldn't want to be late now would we?" Cecily stated after finishing her fit of laughter.

"Right." Alec said, his light hearted smile suddenly turning into a serious one.

"How are we going to do this then?" Will asked his face less pink than before.

"Okay this is how we're going to do it…"

* * *

"Right, there they are." Clary stated as she and Alec watched Cecily, Will and Magnus make their way across the car park outside Magnus' apartment building and into a taxi.

"You have the spare key?" Alec asked nervously.

"Yes Alec, Cecy gave it to me in the car about ten minutes ago. You were there. You need to stop worrying; everything's going to be fine." Clary said, raising her eyebrows at her friend, who just stared blankly at her.

"You coming or what?" Clary asked as she opened the car door to get out.

"Yeah I'm coming." Alec breathed getting out of the car. "You have the painting?" Alec asked.

Clary's face dropped, "Erm, I thought I put it in the back with Will." Clary said as she looked through the backseat windows before breaking into a fit of laughter.

"What? Clary this isn't funny?" Alec exclaimed with an incredibly worried look on his face.

"I'm sorry, I just thought I'd try and lighten the mood." She said as she lifted a portfolio accompanied by a carrier bag out of the back of the car.

"That wasn't nice, Fray." Alec said, trying to look angry but he couldn't help the little smile that tugged at the sides of his mouth.

"Come we better get going. Wouldn't want to be late would we?" Clary asked, raising her eyebrows at Alec as she locked the car and made her way towards the apartment building.

Alec nodded silently to himself and followed after Clary. It wasn't particularly hard to get into the building as the concierge didn't really seem to pay them any attention. And if Alec hadn't been so focussed on his plan, he probably would have commented on how Magnus should live somewhere with a more attentive concierge.

"Right ok. 14th floor, apartment 14b." Clary said, although it was more to herself than to Alec.

"So what's in the carrier bag?" Alec asked, genuinely intrigued by what his friend could be hiding.

"You'll see." Clary said with a mischievous grin. The rest of the elevator ride was spent in silence. It wasn't awkward, it was a nice kind of quiet, it gave them time to think. Although, it wasn't that much time before the bells dinged and the doors opened.

Clary and Alec stepped forward and looked around for any other doors, but there was only one single one at the end of the hall. "Are you sure this is right?" Alec asked.

Clary made a vague "mh-hm" sound and started towards the door, to which Alec just followed. Clary promptly got the key out of her pocket and put in the lock, surprised when it fit.

"This must be it." She muttered opening the door. Clary and Alec stood there, their mouths agape.

"Wow!" Was all that Clary could say.

"Magnus is a man of style." Alec said with a certain admiration as he looked around the penthouse apartment.

"Where do you want it?" Clary asked. However, when she locked over at Alec, he was too distracted to answer. Clary followed his gaze, and saw what he was so distracted by. It seemed Alec wasn't the only one to reminisce over photos. Up against the wall there was a giant painting with a beautiful gold frame and tucked into the corner of that beautiful frame was a photo booth strip. Clary had seen Alec happy, but the way he looked in those photos was something she had never seen in her friend.

"Alec?" Clary asked, pulling Alec from his thoughts, "Where do you want it?"

"I don't know. His room maybe?" Alec said, although he wasn't convinced.

"I think you should have it as the first thing he sees when he walks into his apartment." Clary stated to which Alec nodded.

"Good idea." He breathed, watching as Clary opened the portfolio and pulled out a pop up easel. Then she pulled out the painting, Alec had yet to see it and so he made his way closer to where Clary was setting up.

"It's beautiful." Alec breathed as tears began to gather in the corner of his eyes.

"I'm glad you like it." Clary stated, her heart filled with pride. There was nothing more she wanted than to please her friend.

Alec's eyes continued to stare at the work of art before him. He looked at the way Clary had painted the sky, full of oranges and pinks and purples and blues. He looked at the way that she had made the two of them look so in love. And with that he couldn't hold them back anymore. The tears fell, there was no holding them back now.

"Oh Alec." Clary sighed, as she made her way over to her friend and pulled him into a hug.

"My god, Clary, I'm such a mess." Alec laughed as he wiped away his tears after pulling away from the hug.

"You're not a mess." Clary stated seriously. "Now let's get finished up here so that we can get going." Clary stepped away from Alec and made her way back to the easel where the painting was set, that's when she pulled open the carrier bag. Then she stood up and started to sprinkle whatever was in the bag.

"Clary, what are you doing?" Alec asked, as he realised what she was sprinkling.

"Making it more romantic. If your plan works Magnus will think you're really romantic and if your plan doesn't work, he'll come home and realise what a guy he missed out on. Then he'll come back for you." Clary stated with a sweet smile.

"Except, I wasn't the one who thought of the rose petals." Alec argued, as he looked down at the floor that was now littered with them.

Clary smiled before replying, "Yeah, but he doesn't have to know that."

* * *

Beta: gracie-the-shadow-writer

 **Hey guys,**

 **I am sooooooooo sorry that this chapter has taken so long to upload, but I have been away in France for the past three weeks and completely forgot to take my computer away with me so I was a bit stuck. So anyway, here it is, the new chapter. I really hope that you enjoy it and please let me know what you thought. I means a lot to know what my readers think of what I'v written.**

 **Thank you all so much for reading and thanks to the guest readers who have left reviews on my other chapters. I means a lot.**

 **Thanks again.**

 **Bash4102**


	22. Chapter 22

"Will, what are we doing here?" Magnus asked with a sigh as he took a seat at a table in the quick filling bar.

"Celebrating." Will stated simply, as he took a seat next to Magnus.

"Celebrating what?" Magnus asked as he watched Cecy take the seat opposite him.

"Christmas. You normally love celebrating. What's up?" Will asked, looking across the table to his friend who was looking down into his hands.

"Nothing, I just don't feel like celebrating. That's all." Magnus stated, before shaking his head, looking up at his friends and planting a smile on his face. "Let's get drunk." Magnus exclaimed, as he stood and made his way over to the bar.

"Jeez, there was no stopping him." Cecy breathed, "He didn't even ask what I want." Cecy said with a laugh looking across to Will who had a concerned look on his face.

"Oh god, not you too. What's on your mind?" Cecy asked, as she watched Magnus over her shoulder.

"What if this wasn't a good idea and it just makes things worse for Magnus? What if he blames us? What do we do then?" Will asked looking up at his sister who had now turned to face him.

"Yes Will, Alec confessing his undying love for Magnus is going to make things worse." Cecy stated sarcastically as she raised an eyebrow at Wil.

"It might make it more complicated." Will defended.

"They're both adults, they'll figure it out. Don't worry." Cecy said, as she turned to look for Magnus at the bar.

Magnus stood there, waiting to be served at the bar, not really noticing what was going on around him. He was too caught up in his own thoughts that he didn't notice that someone was calling his name until he felt a hand on his shoulder. He recognised the voice immediately but wasn't really in the mood to speak to him. He couldn't be rude so he turned to face him, with his best fake smile adorning his face.

"Jace," Magnus breathed. "what are you doing?" Magnus asked.

"Celebrating." Jace stated with a smile.

"You sound like Will." Magnus muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Jace asked with a slightly confused look on his face.

"Nothing." Magnus dismissed, before asking, "Who are you here with anyway?"

"Ah, so you want to know whether Alec's here." Jace guessed, and although it wasn't the whole reason Magnus was asking, he kind of wanted to know the answer.

"He's not here yet, it's just me, Izzy and our cousins." Jace explained.

"Where is he?" Magnus asked, trying not to sound too hopeful or relieved. To be completely honest he wasn't sure how he felt.

"Sorting something out with Clary." Jace explained, as the bartender brought his drinks over. "I'll see you round Magnus." Jace said politely, before heading back over to his table.

"Bye." Magnus breathed, even though Jace had already left. He then turned back to lean on the bar, as he waited for the bartender to finally come over and take his order.

After a couple of minutes the bartender finally come over to take Magnus' order, "So what can I get for you sir?" The man asked politely.

"I'll have a martini and two pints of beer for my friends please." Magnus said, with a smile.

"I'm really sorry about your wait but would you mind waiting a couple more minutes? I just have something to do." The bartender stated as he made his way from behind the bar and over to the door. And although Magnus _did_ mind, he wasn't going to say that. So he turned around to see what was holding up his drinks, and that's when he saw him.

Magnus watched him from the bar, watched the way he hugged the bartender, and laughed at his jokes. It was hard to admit, but he was jealous. Jealous of the way they laughed together, jealous of the way they looked together. He couldn't watch it anymore and so he turned around to lean against the bar once again.

After a couple of minutes of just waiting, the bartender finally returned, "A friend of yours?" Magnus couldn't help but ask.

"Something like that." He stated with a grin. As Magnus watched him, he couldn't help the burning jealousy in his chest. "Here are your drinks." The bartender stated, as he placed the three drinks down on the counter.

"Thanks." Magnus said as he picked up the drinks, "Put it on my tab." Magnus muttered as he made his way back over to his table.

"You'll never guess who just showed up." Magnus announced with an annoyed sigh.

"Oh no, we saw the daggers you were shooting across the bar." Cecily began, as she took a sip of her drink, "Now the only question is, who were you shooting the daggers at?"

"Okay Cecy, no need to be like that." Magnus said, looking down into his drink, before necking the whole thing.

A couple of minutes later, all of the lights in the bar dimmed and a spotlight above the stage began to shine.

"What's going on here?" Magnus asked, looking over to Will and Cecily.

"I don't know. Come on Magnus, its Christmas Eve, they're probably having a karaoke night or something." Cecily explained. "Anyway, what's wrong with a bit of karaoke? You used to love it." Cecily continued.

Magnus rolled his eyes before standing up and making his way back over to the bar.

"So who do you think he was glaring at?" Cecily asked Will, as she watched Magnus at the bar.

"Oh definitely the bartender. Tall, dark and handsome, Alec's type. Magnus is probably just jealous." Will stated with a grin.

"Back again?" The bartender asked, as Magnus approached the bar.

"Yeah, unfortunately one martini just wasn't enough." Magnus stated, as he placed his glass down on the bar. "What's going on tonight, anyway?" Magnus asked, as he nodded towards the stage.

"Why don't you just wait and see?" The bartender suggested, as he placed Magnus' second martini down in front of him.

"Thanks." Magnus said, before picking up his glass, and turning to make his way back over to his table but as he saw who was making their way onto the stage, he found that he couldn't move.

Magnus glanced around the bar and watched as all the people at the tables and in the booths turned to face the stage. He had no idea what was going on, all he knew was that Jace and Alec were making their way onto the stage to do God knows what. It was then that he noticed how handsome Alec actually looked. He was used to Alec's old, faded jumpers and slightly frayed jeans, but this, what Alec was wearing now was completely different to anything he had seen Alec in before. Magnus had seen Alec look smart before, like when they had gone for fancy meals in Paris or gourmet meals in London but there was something different about the perfectly tailored suit jacket accompanied by a deep blue shirt and a pair of black skinny jeans and it was making Magnus feel something. He wasn't sure what, but he was definitely feeling something.

He wasn't sure how much time had passed, but as he heard the quiet notes of the piano being played he was shaken from his trance that he had been in. That's when he heard it, the sound that never failed to mesmerise him, the sound of the boy he loved singing.

 _Yes, I do, I believe_

 _That one day I will be_

 _Where I was right there_

 _Right next to you_

 _And it's hard_

 _The days just seem so dark_

 _The moon and the stars_

 _Are nothing without you_

Magnus listened to the words that Alec was singing, they were so emotional, so raw, so real, that Magnus could not hold back the tears he had holding in since for so long. He closed his eyes and let himself be transported by the words and by his voice.

 _Your touch, your skin_

 _Where do I begin?_

 _No words can explain_

 _The way I'm missing you_

 _Deny this emptiness_

 _This hole that I'm inside_

 _These tears_

 _They tell their own story_

 _Told me not to cry when you were gone_

 _But the feeling's overwhelming, it's much too strong_

Clary looked around the bar to see if she could see Magnus when she finally saw him standing by the bar, glass in hand with silent tears streaming down his face. She decided to give Magnus this moment and return her gaze back to the stage. Normally when Clary watched Alec sing she was mesmerised, and that's not to say she wasn't but tonight was different. Tonight was different because Jace was playing as well. Clary watched as he ran his fingers gently across the keys and the way he knotted his eyebrows when the pace increased. It was a truly beautiful sight to see, and as Clary listened to the combination of the piano and Alec's angelic voice, she felt truly blessed that she had met this family. But she had spent to long just thinking, so instead just she focussed on just listening to the notes that Jace was playing and the words that Alec was singing.

 _Can I lay by your side?_

 _Next to you, you_

 _And make sure you're alright_

 _I'll take care of you_

 _I don't want to be here if I can't be with you tonight_

 _I'm reaching out to you_

 _Can you hear my call?_

 _This hurt that I've been through_

 _I'm missing you, missing you like crazy_

 _You told me not to cry when you were gone_

 _But the feeling's overwhelming, it's much too strong_

 _Can I lay by your side?_

 _Next to you, you_

 _And make sure you're alright_

 _I don't want to be here if I can't be with you tonight_

 _Lay me down tonight_

 _Lay me by your side_

 _Lay me down tonight_

 _Lay me by your side_

 _Next to you, you_

The song finished and Magnus was pretty sure that he had no tears left to cry. He could see the people around Clary's table looking at him, he couldn't take it, he couldn't take the looks he was getting from people around the bar, so he turned to go. He knew he should stay, should say something, but he was pretty sure that even if he tried no words would come out.

"Magnus, wait!" Alec called from the stage. "I have something to say."

Magnus turned to face the stage again. He watched as Alec swallowed and closed his eyes, something he had noticed Alec did when he was getting ready to say something important.

"I haven't known a lot of love in my life. I mean I have my brothers and sister and my pare-."Alec almost choked on the last word, and in that moment Magnus knew that Alec was just as emotional as he was, "And my mom, but I never had and any romantic loves until you came along." Alec stopped to take a breath before continuing.

"Magnus I didn't believe in soulmates until I met you." Magnus had been wrong, he did have more tears to cry and they were all coming at once. And as he looked around the bar, he noticed he wasn't the only one that was crying. He even saw Will shed a tear.

"Magnus, I'm sorry for all the shit I put you through when school started, I don't know what I was thinking, I should have fought harder, harder for you, harder for us. I have spent the last six months without you, and I don't plan on spending any longer without you. I don't think-, no, I know I can't live without you. And so if you'll have me, I'd love to call you mine again." Alec finished with tears streaming down his cheeks.

Magnus was speechless. He had never seen Alec display such raw emotion, it made his heart ache. As he stood there he realised he had every set of eyes on him, but he just couldn't speak, he didn't have the power to, all he could do was smile and nod. But that was enough for Alec as he made his way down from the stage and through the crowded tables.

As Alec strode towards Magnus it was clear that he was the only thing he had on his mind. Alec grabbed Magnus by the lapels on his jacket and kissed him hard and fast and messy and unpractised but with everything he had. Magnus was quite frankly in a state of shock. It had been so long since he had had Alec's lips pressed against his own, and oh god, it felt so good. Magnus brought his hand around to the back of Alec's neck, tugging lightly at the hair at the base of his neck, as Alec ran his tongue along Magnus' bottom lip, begging for access, to which Magnus gladly obliged.

Both Magnus and Alec were so lost in the moment; they could barely hear the wolf whistles and cheers from the people in the bar.

After what seemed like an eternity of just standing there, in the middle of the bar, with their lips moving together in perfect unison, they finally broke apart.

"You never cease to amaze me, Alexander." Magnus whispered, as he rested his forehead against Alec's.

Alec just smiled and pulled Magnus into a hug as he whispered in his ear, "I love you."

"I love you too." Magnus replied simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "And as much as I love standing here with you, the whole bar is looking at us, so maybe we should sit back down somewhere."

"Good idea." Alec stated with a chuckle. "Why don't you bring Will and Cecy over to our table?" Alec asked, as he nodded to a table in the corner, where he could see Izzy enthusiastically waving.

"How do you know I'm here with Will and Cecy?" Magnus asked, raising an eyebrow as he intertwined his fingers with Alec's.

"You didn't think that it was purely coincidental that you were here tonight, did you?" Alec asked with a smile, as Magnus began to laugh.

"Oh so you had them roped in too?" Magnus asked, a knowing smirk on his face, as he leaned up to press a kiss to Alec's cheek.

"Well, I didn't think you'd come if I sent Jace to your door." Alec stated with a laugh as, he looked over his shoulder to where Jace was wrapped up in a conversation with Clary.

"Mm, probably not." Magnus said with a chuckle, "Now let me go get my friends, so we can get out of the spotlight." Alec reluctantly let go of Magnus' hand and watched as he made his way back over to his table to get his friends. It wasn't long before the three of them were making their way back over to Alec, with smiles on their faces.

"You did it Lightwood!" Will stated, as she smacked Alec on the shoulder in a playful way, to which Alec just smiled and nodded.

"Couldn't have done it without you two though." Alec stated with a smile as he looked at Will and Cecy who were stood either side of Magnus. "Now why don't you come and meet the rest of the family." Alec said as he extended a hand out to Magnus who gladly took it.

Alec then led Magnus, Will and Cecy through the crowd and over to the table where his family were sitting. Both Will and Cecily came around from behind Magnus and Alec to take a seat at the table, Cecy sitting down beside Gabriel and Will taking a seat next to Tatiana.

"So Jace, Izzy and Clary you already know, but these are my cousins from Georgia," Alec explained as he gestured to the three brown-haired Lightwood's sitting on the other side of the table. "That's Gideon, the oldest, Gabriel, the middle child and Tatiana, the youngest. Guys, this is Magnus."

After a collective "hi" from the Lightwood cousins Magnus took a seat next to Clary who was still in deep conversation with Jace but as Magnus sat down she stopped and turned to face him. "Hey Magnus," She said simply with a smile.

"Hey," Magnus replied with a smile, "So, did you help out with all of this then?" Magnus asked.

"I didn't do much really," Clary said, even though she had done quite a bit, "I just convinced Will and Cecy to get you to come here." Clary finished with a shrug.

"Oh and how did you do that?" Magnus asked, raising an eyebrow at Clary.

"They're like family; I knew they'd do it if I asked." Clary explained.

Magnus let out a shocked gasp before turning to Will and Cecy and practically shouting, "Clary's the redhead in all of your photos!"

Cecy smiled before saying, "I'm surprised you didn't recognise her, there are some pretty recent ones in our house."

And with that everyone slipped back into their conversations, happily chatting to whoever was sitting near them on the table. Magnus just sat back and watched, this was it. This was what he had been waiting for. He knew it had been his fault that he had let Alec go, but there was this hope inside him that they would find their way back to each other and even though it was a long road, they did it.

The hours passed and everyone continued to laugh and drink and talk and sing. The night had been perfect and so when Magnus pulled Alec to the side, he had no worries that it would be anything bad.

"Hey Alec, you know I'm all for parties, but what do you say we get out of here?" Magnus asked, raising a suggestive eyebrow at Alec who suddenly blushed a dark shade of crimson.

"Definitely." Alec chuckled, as his face slowly returned to its normal colour. "Right everyone, we're going to get going." Alec said with a smile as he linked his fingers into Magnus'.

"Alec!" Clary slurred, drunk after all the drinks Magnus had bought her, "I will be seeing you tomorrow, right?" She asked as she rested the hand she had been pointing at Alec on Jace's shoulder.

"I don't know Fray." Alec said with a laugh, "I promised my mom I'd be there."

"Oh okay." Clary said as she looked down into her lap before getting an idea and flinging her head back up to Alec. "Come after your dinner, bring your family I don't mind, I'll make enough puddings for everyone. I promise. And besides I don't think Cecy would forgive me if I didn't invite Gabriel." Clary stated in brutal honesty as everyone turned to face Cecy and Gabriel who had now, like Alec had before, turned a deep shade of crimson.

"You mean it Fray?" Alec asked a sudden glee showing on his face.

"Of course. Plus Magnus is going to be there too, I already asked." Clary said with a drunken smile on her face.

Alec turned to face Magnus, who had a guilty smile on his face, "I couldn't resist that little redhead. And anyway that's where Will and Cecy will be." Magnus explained.

"What time do you want us Fray?" Alec asked, trying to face Clary, but struggling because of the beautiful man standing next to him.

"Whatever time you can make it." Clary said with a smile, her hand still resting on Jace's shoulder.

"Well then, probably about 6, after dinner and presents and games and all that. I don't even have to ask Jace and Izzy but you up for it guys?" Alec asked the Lightwood cousins, and after receiving a collective nod and a round of "definitely's" Alec finally got to say goodbye. "Right, we're actually leaving now." Alec said with a chuckle.

"Bye guys." The group shouted as Magnus and Alec turned to go, but just as they were about to go out through the door Magnus felt a hand on his shoulder.

"I didn't want to do this in front of everybody." Izzy said as she pulled Magnus into a hug, whispering a quick "Thank you" in his ear, before pulling back and grabbing her brother next.

After hugging both Magnus and Alec in turn, Izzy began to speak, "I'm so proud of you Alec, and I get that you're going to go, well, celebrate." Izzy started, with a laugh, "But you better put on an alarm because Max won't be impressed if he wakes up and you're not there."

"Got it." Alec replied with a smile, "Love you, Iz."

"Love you too, big brother." Izzy stated before returning to their table.

"Now should we actually get going?" Magnus asked with a cheeky grin.

"Yes." Alec stated definitely as they made their way out into the bitter winter's night. After hailing a cab, Magnus and Alec made their way to Magnus' apartment in Brooklyn to start what Izzy had described as their 'celebration'. And come on, she wasn't wrong.

"I think Magnus and Alec had the right idea." Jace stated as he watched the pair leave the bar.

"What'cha mean?" Clary asked, resting her head on Jace's shoulder and looking up into his eyes.

"Maybe we should get you home. I mean, don't you have to drive upstate tomorrow to see your mom." Jace explained as he looked down at the redheaded mess that was resting on his shoulder.

"Yes, that'd probably be a good idea." Clary said with a smile, "You're more sensible than you seem, you know." Clary continued.

"Only with you Clary." Jace stated in a sensible tone. "Will, Cecy can either of you drive Clary's car?"

"Yeah, I can. Why?" Will asked, as he turned away from his conversation with Tatiana.

"I think Clary's a bit worse for wear; in fact I think we all are." Jace stated as he took a look around the table.

"You're probably right. We should probably head out soon." Will said, as he took the last swig of his pint.

"You know what; I'm going to call a taxi. Maryse won't be happy if we stroll in in a couple of hours." Gideon stated as he pulled out his phone and started to dial a number.

"Good plan. I'm going to take Clary to her car while Will pays the rest of the tab." Jace said as he looked down at Clary who still had her head resting on his shoulder.

"Hey why am I paying?" Will asked with a laugh.

"You're the one with a job." Jace defended.

"True." Will laughed as he made his way over to the bar.

"Come on Clary. I better get you to your car before you fall asleep in the bar." Jace said as he lifted Clary's head from his shoulder.

"You know, I'm not as drunk as you think I am." Clary explained as she stood up from where she was seated behind the table, "I was just having fun." She finished with a smile.

"I know, but I just thought it was time we all headed in, before we all ended up with major hangovers on Christmas day." Jace replied, as took he Clary's hand to help her up from her seat.

"You're probably right." Clary said with a chuckle.

"I'm always right." Jace said with a cheeky grin.

"Now let me just find my keys, so I can actually get into my car." Clary said as she opened her handbag and began to search for the keys.

"Come on, can't you walk and search?" Jace asked with a smile.

"I suppose." Clary replied as she began to walk alongside Jace who was making his way out of the bar.

The rest of the way to Clary's car they walked in silence, it wasn't an uncomfortable silence, and Clary had barely noticed when Jace slipped his hand into hers. It just felt so right, so normal, that it wasn't strange to her.

"Thank you." Clary whispered as they finally reached her car.

"What for, I haven't done anything?" Jace asked, as he watched Clary put the key into her car door.

"You've always been so nice to me." Clary explained as she turned back around to face Jace. "It just means a lot to me."

"You've been nice to me too, you know." Jace stated with a chuckle as he took a step closer towards Clary. He didn't really know what he was doing; he just wanted to be closer to her.

"Jace…" Clary whispered, but that's all Jace got before she leant forward and pressed her lips against his. It was a warm and soft kiss, a kiss that had been worth waiting for. Jace brought his hand up to Clary's cheek. He had wanted this for so long and now it was happening, he couldn't quite believe it.

"Hey!" Someone shouted from behind them pulling Clary and Jace from their perfect little moment. "Get your hands off my sister!" The person continued to shout and as Jace turned around he realised it was only Will and Cecy.

"Ah, Will you're so cute." Clary shouted over Jace's shoulder. "And again, thank you." Clary said, as she stood up on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to Jace's cheek, "I'll see you tomorrow." Clary finished as she opened the car door and climbed into the backseat.

"Night Lightwood." Will said as he made his way passed Jace and into the driver's seat of the car.

"We'll see you tomorrow Jace." Cecily said before making her way round to the opposite side of the car and climbing into the passenger seat.

"Bye." Jace whispered, as he gave Clary a small wave, receiving a bright smile and an even larger wave as Will put the car in reverse and backed out of the carpark, leaving Jace to wait for a cab with his cousins who were still in the bar.

When Magnus and Alec got back to Magnus' apartment, they didn't waste any time. They had spent too much time apart that they could barely contain themselves once they were in private.

As soon as they got in through the door of Magnus' apartment, Alec had Magnus up against the wall. It felt so good to be with Magnus again, each kiss was like kissing him for the first time. It was magical, the way that their lips and their bodies moved together and so when Magnus stopped, Alec was left puzzled.

"Mags, what is it?" Alec asked, stepping towards Magnus who was making his way to the centre of the room.

"What is that?" Magnus asked, as he pointed to something mounted in the middle of the room.

"I completely forgot about that." Alec breathed, as he made his way over to the door to flick the light switch on.

"Forgot ab…" Magnus started but as the light came on, Magnus saw what it was that Alec was talking about. "Alec, it's beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it." Alec said as he made his way closer to Magnus.

"Did you do this?" Magnus asked in a surprised tone.

"What paint it?" Alec asked to which Magnus just nodded. "No, I didn't, but I appreciate the fact that you'd ask." Alec said with a smile.

"So who did paint it?" Magnus asked as he took a step closer to the painting to admire its beauty.

"Clary." Alec stated simply.

"Oh right, she's an amazing artist." Magnus stated.

"She is." Alec said as he took Magnus' hand in his own. And that's the way they stood for the next few minutes, just looking at the painting. A painting of a time when they were both so happy, so in love, and god it felt so good to have that love back.

"Thank you." Magnus whispered, as he looked up at Alec.

"What for?" Alec asked as he looked back at Magnus.

"Making this the best night of my life." Magnus stated simply.

"What, even better than the night I…" Alec began with a mischievous grin.

"Yes, even better than that night." Magnus replied with a smile and a raised eyebrow, "Now come on, I've waited so long for this." Magnus finished with a cheeky grin as he grabbed Alec's hand and pulled him in the direction of the bedroom.

beta: gracie-the-shadow-writer

 **Hey guys,**

 **I really enjoyed writing this chapter, and so I hope that you really enjoyed it too. Sorry it took so long, but I wanted to get it perfect. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter in the reviews, it means so much to know what you think of my writing.**

 **Bash4102**


End file.
